BLAME U.S. FOR CANADIAN GROW-OPS

Come to think of it, it's the mainly the fault of the United States that we
have so many marijuana grow-ops in Canada.

The U.S. consumes, and produces, more cannabis than any other country in
the world. U.S. pot demand is throwing billions in untaxed dollars at
Canadians, while at the same time the U.S. is scorning us for supplying its
domestic demand.

Responsibility for the misery caused by the "drug war," both in Canada and
around the world, falls squarely on the U.S.

Maybe we should threaten them with border slowdowns if they don't do
something to lower their demand for pot.

If Canada were to legalize and regulate cannabis, then licensed growers and
sellers would have to account for every gram they produced and sold on the
domestic market.

This would free up police resources and generate billions in new tax
revenue annually.

That, in turn, would mean we could actually afford to spend more on
increased border security to keep cannabis from going south, and guns and
cocaine from coming north.

Do we blame the bar or liquor store for someone's alcohol problem?

The sporting goods store for sports injuries?

Food companies for obesity or diabetes?

No, we don't.

Then why should Canada be blamed for supplying Americans with a substance
that Americans just can't seem to get enough of?

Russell Barth

Educators for

Sensible Drug Policy

Ottawa