Zork from planet Zoot comes to Earth to observe the human species.
S/he lands in B.C. (a favourite destination for Zootans) and reads in
The Vancouver Sun about the serious problems with the "pot industry"
(Pot industry public threat, police warn, April 28).

S/he is impressed to learn that marijuana is a $2-billion-a -year
industry.

"That's not a problem," thinks Zork.

Then s/he reads how the product is being produced in homes in
residential neighbourhoods.

"Hmm, no problem there," says Zork, "Just pass zoning laws that
require the marijuana to be grown in warehouses in industrial areas."

S/he learns that the industry has been taken over by gangs and
organized crime.

"Easily solved," says Zork. "Just have the governments regulate
production and distribution, like they do with other medium strength
drugs. If the price is set at an affordable level, then criminal
organizations will pull out of the production end of the industry,
eliminating the threat to the residential areas."

"Well, that was easy," thinks Zork, as s/he heads back to planet Zoot.
"I'll bet that a year from now these problems with the pot industry
will be all cleared up!"

But back on Zoot, Zork's supervisor disagrees.

"We know a bit about these humans, sometimes they don't do what you
expect. They've been known to continue with an ineffective policy,
even one that worsens a situation. Things could get very bad for them
there before they actually deal with the problem, instead of just
trying to suppress it."

"Strange species, these humans," muses Zork.

Doug Vernon,
Vancouver