LEGALIZING POT WOULD PUT GANGS OUT OF BUSINESS

There is a strong resemblance between the prohibition of alcohol in
the 1930s and the prohibition of marijuana in the 2000s. Once the
liquor prohibition was lifted in the '30s, the gangsters and
bootleggers were put out of business, leaving millions to flow into
Ottawa's treasury.

Legalizing marijuana would have the same effect by putting the drug
gangs out of business, putting hundreds of billions into Ottawa's
treasury to help our economy and stopping the drug killings in our
cities.

I remember when the bootleggers stopped coming to our farm offering a
large sum of money to put a still in our barn, and then everything
went back to normal after the prohibition was lifted.

The evil drug problem has now extended from Mexico through-out the
U.S. and up into Canada, where we are seeing drug gangs taking over
the safety of our cities.

Increasing fines, extended jail terms and increasing our law
enforcement is like putting a small bandage on a bleeding artery.

The Middle and Far Eastern countries have used and lived with drugs
for over 6,000 years because they know how to control them, and also
use them for medical benefits.

Our medical doctors are able to prescribe the use of marijuana for
depression, eye problems and others ailments, but I have never heard
of any prescriptions for alcohol.

The Eastern countries forbid the use of alcohol as adamantly as we
forbid the use of marijuana because we have not learned how to control
its use. We only know the fears of excessive use. Alcohol and
marijuana are both dangerous drugs if used in excess.

It would be beneficial if the Eastern world and Western world got
together to share their knowledge of these two presumably dangerous
drugs so we can live with each and stop this carnage of our people and
cities.

As far as I know, marijuana studies have been going on for over 80
years with much the same results.

In 1971 I wrote a university paper on the need for drug reform, and
the conclusions were the same as now. We know an ounce of alcohol and
a joint of marijuana has much the same effect and we have accepted an
alcoholic drink at a noon-hour business lunch is perfectly normal.
What is the difference? We are also fearing the ill effects of some
prescription drugs that can harm our health, causing serious illness
or even death if misused.

The pharmaceutical manufacturers are dealing with billions and
billions, but their product is regulated by federal law and their
support comes from government and big business.

My U.S. pharmaceutical friends have just informed me that their
manager's starting wage is a cool $125,000 with a $40,000 yearly
bonus. That is also big money.

There appears little difference between the heroin addict, alcoholic,
junkie, prescription drug addict or the glue-sniffing kid -- they are
all sick people who need help. They are not criminals.

It is unfortunate we are increasing our law enforcement and filling
our jails in hopes of stopping these out-of-control drug gangs when
removing the prohibition on marijuana will do the job more quickly and
effectively -- but who in power who has the courage to speak up about
this possible solution to stop this drug problem?

Dot Davies-Fuhrman

Kelowna