TIME TO RETHINK PROPOSED MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION

A recent comedy sketch by the Royal Canadian Air Farce described the
recent drug bust at the old Molson plant in Barrie as "every young
guy's dream come true -- a pot factory in a brewery." Discovery of the
massive hydroponics operation in the vacant plant provided ample
fodder for comedians. It also made the rest of us wonder how such an
extensive operation could go unnoticed by the authorities.

This was no college school kid growing a couple of strange plants in
his bedroom; it was a sophisticated industrial operation that required
a huge amount of electricity, water and chemicals. All of these leave
evidence. Surely someone noticed the amount of electricity and water
disappearing in the vicinity of the old brewery.

There were even workers living on site to look after the crop. This,
too, should have drawn attention to the fact something was going on.
While the brewery has not been in operation for a few years, surely
such a valuable piece of property was checked on occasion.

Someone must have seen something. The plant is not in the middle of
nowhere; it is near a well-travelled highway, in a fairly heavily
populated part of the country. One has to wonder why no one noticed
anything odd going on at the old brewery -- or what kind of money
changed hands to persuade those who should have seen something, to
look the other way.

One also has to wonder how many other similar indoor pot-growing
operations are going on in abandoned factories, unused warehouses and
other large vacant buildings. It should not take a degree in
criminology for one to predict this may have been the largest bust of
its kind to date, but it will not be the last.

All humour aside, discovery of this operation should cause our leaders
in Ottawa to rethink their plans to decriminalize or even legalize
marijuana. There are two theories at work with the proposed change in
the law. One theory would have us believe marijuana is a relatively
innocuous drug, and consumption need not lead to criminal activity.
The other would have us regard marijuana as a "gateway" drug, the
first step on a downward stairway.

There are government officials who believe decriminalizing possession
of marijuana would free law enforcement personnel for fighting "real"
crime. Some of us suspect the real situation is so many people use the
stuff, it is beyond the point it can be controlled, and tossing in the
towel is the easy way out.

The problem is marijuana production, sale and consumption are not an
isolated, local phenomenon without national or international
connections. Indoor marijuana "grow" operations have become big
business in Canada, and that business is controlled by criminals --
not college kids selling a little on the side, but the real thing.
Hydroponic marijuana operations take a horrendous toll in stolen
electricity and ruined property. And make no mistake, the product is
not meant for the local market but ends up south of the border, part
of a huge drug smuggling industry.

Officials might be able to turn a blind eye to a grow house or two,
but an operation the size of the one in Barrie clearly requires a lot
of planning and organization. Yes, boys and girls, organized crime is
alive and thriving here in Ontario the Good.

There may have been a day when legalizing marijuana might have taken
it out of the hands of international organized crime. That day has
long since passed. The pot factory in Barrie should be all the
evidence we need to get those responsible for making our laws, to take
a hard look at what they would accomplish by decriminalizing
marijuana. They need to wake up and open their eyes. This is "real"
crime.

Do we really need to send a message to organized crime that "Ontario
is open for business?"