Canada’s senate has recommended marijuana legalization despite the disapproval U.S. officials.On Sept. 3, a committee of nine senators released a 600-page report suggesting marijuana be available to adults, sold openly at special shops, and taxed like alcohol. Efforts to prevent marijuana abuse would be the responsibility of the community, not law enforcement officials.
The report said, “In our opinion, Canadian society is ready for a responsible policy of cannabis regulation that complies with these basic principles.”
Many in the Canadian government also consider the chunk of tax income they are missing. Last week a pot-smuggling ring worth $83 million U.S. dollars was broken up on British Columbia’s border with the U.S. The single operation was worth the same amount as British Columbia’s entire fruit industry.
Canada’s “pot party” may disperse by order of the superpower to the south. Parliament was threatened with trade sanctions should they choose to ease laws.
Last spring, Jamaica was threatened with foreign aid cuts when its government proposed a plan similar to Canada’s.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s policy on drug use appropriates $12.5 billion dollars annually to enforce marijuana laws. That is twice Jamaica’s annual gross national income of $6 billion U.S. dollars.
D.E.A. head Asa Hutchinson said, “We have great respect for Canada and Britain as well, and if they start shifting policies with regards to marijuana it simply increases the rumblings in this country that we ought to reexamine our drug policy. It is a distraction from a firm policy on drug use.”(“Washington Fumes as Canada Moves to Decriminalize Pot” Black World Today 7/30/02)
“Rumblings in this country” increase with each year. Last year over 700,000 arrests were made in the U.S. for marijuana charges. Out of those, 11,000 were made on college campuses.
Junior Drew Kristel said, “Too many people are put in jail because of the war on drugs.”
Sophomore Mike Tennison said, “If we impose sanctions on Canada then the only trade that will go on is the illegal one that already goes on.”
Sophomore Zach Smith said, “Drug policies aren’t working in this country.. We shouldn’t be forcing our failing policies on other countries.”
Having recently spent over 30 million dollars to air anti-drug commercials during the Super Bowl, the U.S. government shows no sign of wavering from its current agenda. Prohibition is big business in the U.S.; tolerant pot policies would mean fewer jobs and less funding for America’s professional buzzkills and propaganda slingers.
“We know our proposals are provocative, and that they will meet with resistance,” said the Senate’s report. “However, we are also convinced that Canadian society has the maturity and openness to welcome an informed debate.