MARIJUANA USE UP, ALCOHOL USE DOWN

Several studies have confirmed that marijuana and alcohol are economic
substitutes with cross-price elasticities, like butter and margarine.
When marijuana use goes up, alcohol and other hard drug use goes down.

Since the LCBO contributed nearly a billion dollars in revenue to
provincial coffers in 2002-2003, could the increasing demand for
marijuana - and the resulting potential for decreasing taxation
revenue on alcohol-- be the real reason for MPP Monte Kwinter's (York
Centre) new effort to demonize marijuana growers?

It's interesting that hydroponic gardeners have been growing tomatoes
and other legal plants indoors for years without a similar
governmental response.

Tim Meehan

Director of communications

NORML Canada

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Canada