MARIJUANA PROHIBITION EQUALS HAZARDOUS MARIJUANA GROW OPERATIONS

Dear Editor,

Regarding Norman Ed Baskerville's Aug. 18th op-ed, hazardous marijuana grow
operations are a direct result of marijuana prohibition. Legitimate farmers
do not steal electricity to grow produce in the basements of rented homes.
If legal, growing marijuana would be less profitable then farming tomatoes.

As it stands, the drug war distorts market forces such that an easily grown
weed is literally worth its' weight in gold. The biggest obstacle to
marijuana law reform in Canada is the U.S. government.

Despite clear evidence that punitive laws fail to deter use, the former land
of the free and current record holder in citizens incarcerated uses its
superpower status to export its failed drug policies around the globe.
Lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the U.S. than any European country,
yet the U.S. is one of the few Western countries that use its criminal
justice system to punish citizens who prefer marijuana to martinis.

The short-term health effects of marijuana are inconsequential compared to
the long-term effects of criminal records.

Students who want to help end the intergenerational culture war otherwise
known as the War On Some Drugs should contact Students for Sensible Drug
Policy at www.ssdp.org.

Sincerely, Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy