DISCUSSING MARIJUANA

Former leader of Marijuana Party of Canada speaks to students about
resolving prohibition

Marc-Boris Saint-Maurice, national executive director of the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), conducted a
talk titled "Resolving Marijuana Prohibition" last Wednesday at
Wilfrid Laurier University.

The talk covered four fundamentals - economic development, health and
medicine, social justice and policy implementation - for a national
resolution for the legalization of marijuana.

Saint-Maurice has been holding such discussions across the country at
universities and community centres to raise awareness of the issues
surrounding prohibition and to engage in progressive discussion.

Having founded the Marijuana Party of Canada and acted as director for
the Compassion Centre in Montreal, which dispenses medical marijuana,
Saint-Maurice has a long history in dealing with government policy.

Considering economic development, Saint-Maurice addressed the issue of
the cost of prohibition in policing and the judicial system as well as
the potential tax revenue if prohibition is lifted. He also debunked
misconceptions that this will have negative effects on the amount of
employment necessary for maintaining police systems. Saint-Maurice
believes it will only help contribute allocating manpower to more
important and pressing issues.

The importance of marijuana for medicinal purposes, aiding patients
with diseases such as cancer, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, was stressed.
Although medicinal marijuana is legal with the proper documentation
from a medical practitioner, the ability to access it and even obtain
the proper documentation is a long and complicated process that has
negative impacts on those who desperately need it.

Surrounding social justice and policy, Saint-Maurice believes that
"prohibition is a lack of control." It allows for our government to
ban it entirely, eliminating the need to establish controls and
restrictions on the use of marijuana.

The ban does not, however, make the issue disappear. Rather, it
criminalizes those who use it for recreational purposes and even for
medical needs.

Saint-Maurice advocates that we "find issues that will strike a chord
with those who don't understand the medical aspect or the financial
aspect ... and not so much on the product and its effect."

Legalizing marijuana will not be a simple, one-step process. "We have
to look at what we're doing with alcohol and other drugs ... finding
measures to control, to reduce access to youth [and] make it safer."

Creating such policy is only possible once its legalization is agreed
upon. Through NORML and these conferences held nation-wide,
Saint-Maurice is creating a list of supporters that will be presented
to government officials. He hopes it will create pressure to determine
new laws.

Saint-Maurice hopes to return to WLU again with updates on the
progress of his endeavours through NORML. Until then he reminds all
supporters for the legalization of marijuana to join NORML and
advocate their cause to government officials and other citizens.