For The Sake of the Mob, Don’t Decriminalize It!

Organized crime must have been delighted with prime minister Harper’s decision to scrap the Martin government’s marijuana initiative. Criminalizing the production of even small amounts of pot ensures that it will remain the exclusive preserve of organized crime. It also ensures these career criminals will be able to line their pockets with huge profits, completely untaxed, with which they can import other drugs like cocaine and even weapons. See, everybody wins – everybody except you and me, that is.

Now we all know that pot leads to harder drugs. According to the RCMP’s annual report, this is especially true of oganized crime. From Canadian Press:

The Mounties say the involvement of organized crime has significantly expanded the Canadian drug trade, with outlaw motorcycle gangs and Asian groups the reigning kingpins of the marijuana industry.

The report notes crime groups that once specialized in a single drug have branched out into various substances, including popular club drug Ecstasy.

“These organizations are powerful, well-connected and are dealing in high profit-yielding illicit ventures across the globe.”

Based on seizure data for 2006, Canadian police prevented an estimated $2.3 billion in drugs from reaching the streets. The report suggests, however, that may represent between just five and 20 per cent of the total amount of illegal drugs in Canada.

Some 90 per cent of Canadian-grown marijuana is produced in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

So Steve, keep up the good work. Organized crime is counting on you.

 

Just What Canada Needs – More "Criminals"

There was never a chance that our born again android, make that “leader”, was ever going to decriminalize pot possession. Canada’s cops got the Harpo message and are busting kids for pot just like the old days, introducing thousands of kids to life with a criminal record. After all, marijuana is much more dangerous and societally damaging than, say, alcohol. Wait, no it isn’t, sorry.

A buddy of mine recently retired after a full career as a cop in a relatively upscale US community. He liked to tell how he’d dealt with all sorts of domestic violence, including a number of murders, where a bottle of Jim Beam would be front and centre, lying empty on a table and yet he’d never been involved with a violent crime resulting from someone smoking pot.

You go Steve! Canada needs more criminals.