Cannabis legalization is all about the money
Re: Port Hardy council debates marijuana tax revenue sharing
So, for more than 80 years now, generations have been raised to believe that marijuana is a dangerous and addictive “killer weed” and then suddenly “authorities” change their minds and now it’s OK? It’s all about the money, folks. And control.
Up until the end of the 19th century, the medicinal properties of cannabis were well known and it could be found in every doctor’s kit. The plant was also used to produce a vast array of other commercial products, but by the 1930s it had became a threat to the profits of big corporations and thus the demonization began. Nowadays, due to popular demand, everyone and their dog has an illegal grow show and our government has realized they are missing out on all that revenue. Legalization is the easiest way they can regain control and get their mitts on the money.
Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater says “Current discussions regarding revenue sharing involve the federal and provincial governments with no inclusion of local governments”. So now, municipalities are clamouring for their slice of the pie because legalization may impact “policing, fire services, building codes, city planning, municipal licensing and standards, public health, social services, communications, law, etc.” Fair is fair. If municipalities are expected to do their share of regulation and enforcement then they should also have a share of the profits. But do we really need so much regulation? I believe many of the “problems” associated with cannabis have arisen due to it’s illegality.
Cannabis should be deregulated and take its rightful place in the garden next to your corn and tomato plants. There is no such thing as a fatal overdose and no one will be picking up an axe and murdering their neighbours or jumping out of windows because they think they can fly. It’s a fact that alcohol impairs one’s ability to drive but where is the proof that marijuana causes car accidents? It is perfectly legal for tobacco users to drive while under the “influence” of their favourite substance. Of course it should be kept out of the reach of children just the same as alcohol and tobacco but what is all the fuss with regulation?
I was diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease as a child and have had a life full of debilitating chronic pain. For me, cannabis oil has been a miracle. Not only has it greatly diminished the pain and inflammation, but it also helped me to quit highly addictive opiate painkillers with no noticeable withdrawal symptoms. In 2003, I was one of the first 800 in Canada to receive a medicinal marijuana licence. RCMP arrested me at my front door, cuffed my hands behind my back, threw me face first to the concrete, jumped on my back and put me in a choke-hold because I had more plants than the licence allowed. Recently Justin Trudeau apologized for “Canada’s role in the systemic oppression, criminalization, and violence” of LGBTQ people. He said “we were wrong.” Will we now see an official apology to those who have been persecuted and oppressed all of their lives for using a harmless herb that grows in nature? I doubt it.
Cannabis is a cure for cancer. Cannabis alleviates the symptoms of epilepsy, chronic pain and many other illnesses. Cannabis is the answer to the opioid crisis. Cannabis is an environmentally friendly alternative to our dependency on oil. The impact on society can only be beneficial, but I’m sure the Canadian government could care less about all that and are only concerned with taking control of this lucrative opportunity.
David Work
Lake Cowichan