GOVERNMENTS SHOULD MULL POT BUSINESS

The Ontario government's decision to enter the world of online
gambling had me confused.

Isn't gambling an addiction? Won't that just encourage more people to
gamble, creating more gambling addicts with all of the problems that
entails? Isn't online gambling a gateway to worse addictive behaviour?

But then I realized the government is doing little to nothing to
enforce the existing laws that prohibit online gambling.

Many people flout current gambling laws. Indeed there's an estimated
$400 million being spent by 400,000 to 500,000 Ontarians each year on
illegal online gambling.

If the government enters this business it could provide a safe and
regulated option for online gamblers and raise tax revenue at the
same time. Jobs could be created. They could use some of the money
raised to educate the public about how to gamble safely in a purely
recreational manner.

Sure there'd still be problems, but wouldn't we have the same
problems whether or not the government enters this business? So then
I began thinking about our marijuana laws.

Save for restricted medicinal purposes, marijuana is an illegal
product. But can't every argument in favour of the Ontario government
getting into online gambling be used to argue it or the federal
government should also get into the business of cultivating and
selling marijuana?

Illegal? Check.

Law being ignored by many? Check. Plenty of money being spent by
users? Check. The government could provide a safe and regulated
outlet for users? Check.

Tax revenue could be generated? Check. Jobs could be created? Check.

Actually, there are more and better reasons why governments should
enter the marijuana business.

We could eliminate some of the police and prison resources we waste
in our futile attempt to enforce prohibition on marijuana and we
could reduce the profits generated by criminals.

OK, but isn't marijuana a so-called gateway drug to harder and more
destructive drugs?

Based on my admittedly limited knowledge -- no, I'm not a user -- I'd
say it isn't a gateway drug anymore than alcohol is a gateway drug.
Many experts agree.

Also, recreational drug use is similar to recreational gambling in
the sense both are often victimless crimes. Indeed, recreational drug
use is likely less risky and harmful than recreational gambling.

What you may not know is marijuana was a lawful product in Canada
until 1923. That's when our prohibition on pot began.

Prohibition didn't work south of the border for alcohol between 1920
and 1933 and it certainly isn't working for pot now. Even the U.S.
law professor who prosecuted Marc Emery, Canada's "prince of pot" --
recently sentenced to five years in jail for the sale of marijuana
seeds -- south of the border has now accepted pot laws endanger the
public and are "dangerous and wrong."

Earlier this month he came out in favour of regulating sales of
marijuana to adults saying, "we need to honestly and courageously
examine the true public safety danger posed by criminalizing a drug
used by millions and millions of Americans who ignore the law.

Marijuana prohibition has failed -- it's time for a new policy
crafted by informed policy-makers with the help of those in law
enforcement who have risked their lives battling pot-purveying drug
cartels and gangs."

Our governments are already heavily involved in the vice business
with their heavy taxation and regulation of alcohol and tobacco
products, running casinos, operating lotteries and other assorted
ventures. Ending the prohibition on pot and permitting its sale via
government regulation is the next logical step.