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