CANADA'S DOING IT, SO WHY CAN'T WE?

Canada has always been associated with the maple leaf, but soon it may be
better known for another kind of leaf because its government is considering
legalizing marijuana.

Although some people may feel this is a precursor to the downfall of our
northern neighbors, this can be looked at as an economic opportunity the
United States is losing out on.

During prohibition, people in the United States still drank alcohol. Some
of these people made it themselves, while others bought it from Canadian
companies.

So now Canada has the chance to reap millions of dollars in tax money from
an easy-to-grow cash crop, and once again it will profit from the good
people of the United States.

So why doesn't our government make use of this potential piggy bank?

Why is the government perfectly willing to take tax money from alcohol and
cigarette purchases, but it won't even let cancer patients ease their pain
with medical marijuana. It's obviously not for health reasons.

I've never heard of anyone dying of marijuana poisoning, yet I've known
people who have had their stomachs pumped because they drank too many martinis.

There never has been a study that says smoking weed increases violent
tendencies, yet we've all witnessed an alcohol-induced rage.

They say pot makes you stupid, yet we've had senators, congressmen and even
a president who has admitted trying it.

Marijuana is known as the "gateway drug," but I think you would be hard
pressed to find a pothead who didn't first try alcohol and cigarettes.

Smoking weed is bad for you, but it's not the great evil that it's been
made out to be.

Sure it makes you lazy, but so does watching television.

Getting high makes people bad drivers, but more wrecks are caused by
drunkenness and sleep deprivation.

We do all kinds of things that are bad for us, but it's not the
government's place to regulate bad habits. If it had that right then we
would all be forced to be on special diets and exercise plans.

Recently there have been commercials that say buying drugs supports
terrorism. Well, there is an easy solution to that.

If the government legalized pot and then regulated nonlicensed production,
people would naturally turn to the conveniently packaged legal weed and
abandon their old suppliers.

Think about it this way - how often do you go to your local moonshiner?

If Canada does decide to take this step, I doubt it will be too many years
before we do too.

Once we see that society won't fall to pieces people will start to question
why we spend so much money and jail space on harmless hippies when we could
be using those resources on real criminals like rapists and pedophiles.

Once people see that there is money to be made, that old American spirit
called capitalism will wake up and start exploiting.