LEGAL POT GOOD FOR ECONOMY, HEALTH CARE

My name is Michael Mann and I am running for the Marijuana Party
because I want to see the end of marijuana prohibition. I want to stop
seeing hundreds of Canadians' security compromised by criminal records
for smoking or growing plants. A society based on justice and law
should not tolerate a prohibitionist agenda.

The governments in power for the last 30 years do not have the tools
nor ability to deal with this issue, nor do they seem to want to even
though tens of thousands of Canadians use marijuana daily and 70 per
cent of Canadians do not think marijuana should be illegal.

Legalizing marijuana would bring social and economic gains, save
existing tax dollars and send a strong message to the police states of
America about Canadian sovereignty, something very much needed.
Canada's prohibitionist stance hits hardest on young people by
limiting travel and career options if they are convicted of a
marijuana offence. Seventy-five per cent of all drug cases in Canada
are for marijuana. The federal government spends over 10 million a
year jailing people just for marijuana. This money could be better
spent on health care.

Decriminalization will not stop the waste of money the police spend
chasing people who use plants and it will not stop jails from
overcrowding from people who cannot or will not pay the fines. This is
a bad idea that has failed in other countries and it does little to
address the problem of gangs dealing in marijuana and often the
violence that comes with them. Legal marijuana would take care of
gangs dealing in it, thus a dent in criminals' pocketbooks and a
saving for the taxpayer.

Legalization is the first step in setting up regulations, and then we
can start to collect the millions of dollars in taxes marijuana will
bring. Money for health care and education. Legal marijuana would
bring tens of thousands more American tourists here to enjoy freedom
and spend money. Legal marijuana would inject $600 million into the
Canadian tax system annually. Legal marijuana would free up police to
follow up on real crime like identity theft, child abuse, fraud, etc.

Legal marijuana is the only choice we have left. Vote for Michael
Mann, vote for the Marijuana Party, vote freedom. Let's Roll!