Pubdate: Mon, 10 Mar 2003
Source: Maclean's Magazine (Canada)
Copyright: 2003 Maclean Hunter Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.macleans.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/253
Author: Eric E. Sterling
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n315/a09.html

JUST SAY YES

Brian Bergman warned that Canada's ability to adopt a new marijuana policy 
that would improve public safety and health is constrained by the potential 
reaction of the United States. This fear is seriously exaggerated. Don't 
forget that the Republicans and Democrats here united to adopt NAFTA over 
the strong objections of our labour unions. Here the NAFTA debate was about 
opening up our borders to trade with Mexico. The entire debate took place 
against the unacknowledged backdrop of the U.S.-Mexico border being the 
principal point of entry of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines. The 
likelihood that the U.S. would seriously damage vital economic interests 
with Canada when both of our economies are hurting simply because Canada 
exposed America's profound hypocrisy around marijuana is extremely low.

- -- Eric E. Sterling, Silver Spring, Md.
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MAP posted-by: Alex