LEGALIZED MARIJUANA A POTTY IDEA

Even medical experts can't agree on whether or not pot has medicinal value.
But, the federal government, in its wisdom, is unleashing a bunch of
bureaucrats to review evidence and resolve the debate. Oh dear.

And if these bureaucrats somehow find that elusive "scientific evidence"
that marijuana provides pain relief, it will be decriminalized for
medicinal purposes.

Justice Minister Anne McLellan says the debate over legalizing marijuana as
a pain reliever is growing and Canadians should not be afraid to talk about
it.

Health Minister Allan Rock, who fumbled his way out of justice, says
government has an open mind on the issue.

Should the terminally ill be able to use pot without fear of legal
ramifications? Why not? Anyone else who wants to use or traffick marijuana
doesn't necessarily face much of a problem if caught breaking the law.

One veteran Alberta narcotics officer confided "a lot of cops" think
legalizing pot would be a good thing.

Not because they think pot is a good thing.

"Cops are getting frustrated. The courts aren't doing much anymore in terms
of enforcing the law thousands and thousands of dollars are being wasted."

But, says the vet, if they did legalize it for medicinal purposes "there'd
have to be certain controls."

There are controls now it's called the law. But it doesn't do much to
curtail this booming industry.

Alberta judges are inclined to hand out jail sentences. B.C. judges tend to
slap people caught with hefty grow operations with paltry fines. One judge
in Kelowna gave a multithousanddollar operator a $1 fine per plant.

"There's big, big money in pot a magnificent profit. (Outlaw) bikers are
into it and have a lot of people growing it for them."

Experts may be divided on whether it has therapeutic value. But one thing's
sure marijuana is not the innocent natural plant many claim it is.

Everyone knows someone who smoked copious amounts of marijuana tooting
and toking their way through the '70s, '80s and '90s. They argue most
vehemently in favor of legalizing pot and are the best walking
advertisements this would be a terrible mistake.

But times have changed and so has pot.

Alberta's booming hydroponics industry produces a hybrid strain of
marijuana loaded with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Imported marijuana
contains 3% to 5% THC. Our homegrown has a content as high as 20% making
it a powerful narcotic.

"A lot of other chemicals contained in marijuana are of concern from a
health perspective," says Calgary Staff Sgt. Mike Cullen. He points out
there are synthetic marijuana substances available for medicinal purposes.

Calgary police get about 400 tips a year on illegal pot activity. Resources
have allowed them to investigate only about 150 of those a year for the
past three years.

Violence and crime swirl around this allegedly soft drug. "I know of at
least one homicide associated with it," says Cullen. The matter is under
investigation.

Beatings, debtcollectors who resort to violence and breakins, are all
part of this booming cottage industry.

Meanwhile, studies prove a growing number of kids are using this superdope
that shortcircuits the brain.

So, two questions. What message will legalizing pot even in a limited
way send to these kids? And, will softer laws ensure police lose the
battle they are losing?