TOKING UP IN THE CAPITAL

Health Canada brought to Ottawa last week about two dozen people who
had been chosen to take part in an experimental program on the
medicinal use of marijuana.

The participants were chosen because they have very serious illnesses
and there is scientific evidence that their pain and suffering might
be alleviated, though certainly not cured, by smoking some marijuana.

The government brought them to the Travelodge Hotel, rented a big
meeting room and explained the program to them, and then passed out
joints.

The patients did what they normally would do. They lit
up.

Soon a good part of the hotel smelled like the family-style hotel,
which often caters to Reform Party MPs, had seldom smelled before. And
then government officials explained they could buy marijuana from the
federal government at $12 a joint as part of the program. The
participants were furious. They could buy the same joint they said,
for $3 from pushers on the street.

And why should they have to buy marijuana in the first place? Well,
because the government didn't want any headlines in the newspapers:
"Govt Encourages Pot Use; Gives It Out Free."

So why not make it cheaper than the price on the street? Well the
government didn't want to see any headlines: "Govt Encourages Pot Use;
Undercuts Pushers."

By charging more for its marijuana than do pushers on the street, the
government thought it could avoid criticism.

Guess again.

The headlines in the oh-so-sophisticated Conrad Black newspapers
should read: "Govt Helping Pushers by Overcharging for Pot."

Some days you just can't win.