POT RALLY IS INEFFECTIVE

Pro-marijuana activists will congregate this weekend to espouse the
medicinal value of their favourite intoxicant and to tell all who will
listen that prohibition and the war on drugs are failing.

Many public arguments have been made that "harm reduction" and legalization
would cost society less money, would unclog our over-booked courts, vacate
crowded jails, cause less pain and free up over-extended police forces to
fight real criminals.

The arguments have many merits - especially in British Columbia where
marijuana use is rampant.

There is also, apparently, a strong case that marijuana relieves the pain
caused by several medical condition such as glaucoma or by medical
treatments such as chemotherapy.

However, these particular activists are going to have a difficult time
swaying people onto their side of this argument for several reasons.

First and foremost is the obvious: These are recreational users who are
simply fed up of getting busted or having their livelihood confiscated.

Their inability, or their refusal, to address the obvious - that marijuana
is a drug used almost exclusively for escapism - seriously compromises
their credibility.

The fact they raise their arguments at the worst possible time - such as a
public information meeting on how to deal with the problems in Abbotsford's
historical Downtown core - only serves to make even more people take them
and their arguments less seriously.

Police are preparing for a turn-out of more than 200 people.

We'll have to see it to believe it.

Saturday there will be those who push the envelope - as there were three
years ago - and, yes, there will likely be arrests.

But the event, billed as trying to bring about change, will be hard to take
seriously.

The people there will enjoy themselves and they will also enjoy whatever
attention they garner. but their seriousness and their motives will be in
question.

Lets call a spade a spade - Saturday's rally is less about political
statement and more about a get together, a party if you will.