ARE WE RETURNING TO REEFER MADNESS?

To The Editor,

The Tories refuse to finance research into something that is already
known to be a viable and valuable medicine - medical marijuana.

But they will spend even more money on a policy that has repeatedly
proven to be a complete and utter failure - marijuana prohibition.

Marijuana is the safest and most versatile medicinal herb in the
world, with dozens of medical applications. But the Tories don't want
to spend any money on this new and rapidly growing field of medical research.

Probably because of the clear and present threat it poses to the
bottom line of Big Pharma.

They will, however, spend more than $4 million hiring more cops to
tear down grow operations - a policy that has repeatedly proven to be
a counterproductive failure. This policy helps cops and gangsters and
costs the rest of us a fortune every year.

How much money do they plan to spend, I wonder, on factually
inaccurate educational programs, or advertising campaigns about the
dangers of marijuana aimed at kids? A lot more than $4 million, I'll bet.

And this policy will also re-enforce the stigma against medical
marijuana users.

Many people may conclude if the government won't fund research, then
marijuana is not worth researching. This will increase the profound
social alienation that medical pot users already feel.

Is this really the kind of backwards-thinking, ideologically-driven,
"effective spending" that we can expect from the Tory government? Is
this what we want for Canada - a U.S.-style return to the 1950's and
reefer madness?

Russell Barth,

Ottawa