As I read The Examiner article about grow-ops, I found my head shaking, my tongue tsk, tsk, tsking a lot my feelings moving towards mild sadness and moderate anger. Push back from the situation, and ask yourself, why is this like it is today? What has created this situation with large commercial, illegal, and very dangerous grow-ops in our communities?

In my view, it’s the result of government’s inability to learn both from the past and from other countries, as well as its lack of vision and courage, and simply not understanding human nature. The marijuana is not the problem. The business of marijuana is.

All we have to do is look to the prohibition era of the 1930s. The government of the day responded to the “threat of alcohol” through prohibition, including police resources to enforce it. This didn’t quell the appetite for alcohol. What it did was create criminals out of a lot of ordinary citizens, and the perfect climate for organized crime to step in and make millions. No amount of police enforcement really changed this. When provincial governments began legalizing alcohol, the market for illegal booze started drying up (no pun intended) and organized crime pretty much moved out of the business. Consequently, communities were safer, and police resources could be used elsewhere.

It’s virtually the same today -different time, different substance. If government had learned from the past it would have liberalized the laws for personal consumption and getting pot, while making the penalties for selling even small amounts very severe.

We can learn a lot from the Netherlands. The Dutch have very liberal, open attitudes towards soft drugs. People can legally smoke at home or go to specific cafes and order marijuana and hashish. It’s smoked in the cafe (not allowed in public). Does the Netherlands have a serious problem with illegal grow-ops or organized crime entrenched in the business? No and no. Are citizens perpetually stoned, unmotivated to work, laughing and eating all the time? No. I believe the Dutch have a sound economy and a healthy society.

We need to lobby politicians and law and policy-makers to treat pot somewhat similarly to alcohol; to change the laws so that reasonable, responsible people can indulge in a little pot if they like. If smokers can get and smoke their pot legally, there’s no market for illegal pot. No market, no money, no organized crime, no dangerous grow-ops -just safer communities.

Let’s be safe out there. V. T. PIIPPONEN King George Street

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com

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