WAR ON DRUGS IS FAILING

We've had a few days to get over the shock of the neo-conservative
Fraser Institute issuing a study calling for the legalization of
marijuana. Now that the smoke has cleared, a few things stand out:

* Anybody who thinks we just need tougher penalties to deter organized
criminals from making millions through lucrative pot farms should ask
themselves where we'd get the money to hire enough police and judges
to enforce such penalties.

* The U.S. has threatened a border crackdown if we legalize pot. That
would create havoc for Canadian businesses and individuals and yet, we
are a sovereign country that often takes differing stances on issues
than our southern neighbour.

* Untold police resources in B.C. are wasted each year busting about
3,000 grow ops - out of an estimated 17,500. Those resources could be
put to better use fighting violent or even property crime.

* The argument that if pot is legalized there would be a whole fleet
of drivers under the influence doesn't hold water. Chances are, people
who want to smoke weed are already doing so. We hope most aren't
toking and driving, but if pot were legalized, police resources could
be shifted from busting grow ops to cracking down on all bad drivers -
stoned, drunk or just plain aggressive.

* When a neo-conservative think tank issues a report calling for the
legalization of marijuana, how many people out there still think the
war on drugs is working?