BUSTING GROW-OPS JUST ENCOURAGES CRIMINALS

Re: RCMP bust two local grow-ops [Citizen, Sept. 22]

Here is a letter that a dealer would send to this article:

"Dear police: Thanks large for cutting down all those pot plants.
Tearing out five to 10 per cent of the area's pot crop each year
secures our continued funding like no other policy.

"Legalizing pot would cripple us, because everyone who wanted to could
simply grow some in their yards, and that would put us right out of
business. But your ongoing eradication efforts secure future customers
coming to us for this oh-so-easy-to-grow medicinal herb.

"We simply cannot thank you enough, although we suspect you are pretty
happy about your ever-increasing anti-pot budgets. You make money, we
make money, there is lots of pot on the street, everyone is happy.
Except the taxpayers, but who cares what those suckers think, right?

"Also, your propaganda in the news really helps us too. We can charge
anywhere from $2,600-$3,500 per pound for this simple weed, because of
the 'perceived threat'. Our customers ask us why pot is so expensive,
and we tell them that the police are 'cracking down' and we are facing
big risks and so on. They have no choice but to accept it. Thanks
large for that, too.

"So, by all means, please keep tearing out as many plants as you can,
and keep using taxpayers' dollars to lobby for longer sentences. Even
if you catch twice as many growers as last year, you still couldn't
get more than 20 per cent of us, and that stimulates our entire
industry -- and yours! We will thank you for your efforts by calling
in tips against our competitors."

"P.S: The RCMP is a military regiment, and using soldiers to wage
'War' against the citizens of their own country is not only
unconstitutional, it is in violation of a number of international
laws. Gutsy move. Luckily, reporters never ask about that, and no one
else cares."

Russell Barth,

Ontario

Federally Licensed Medical Marijuana User

Educators for Sensible Drug Policy