Pubdate: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 Source: Barrie Advance, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2004 Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing Contact: http://www.simcoe.com/sc/barrie/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2192 Author: Russell Barth Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04.n1758.a08.html MONEY WASTED ON POT PATROL Re: Judge jails marijuana mob. The potential for big money is so high, and the chances of getting caught so low, that even the death penalty would not deter people from this highly lucrative business. The only way to stop an organized-crime industry worth billions each year, is to legalize it, regulate it, and tax it. It worked with alcohol 80 years ago, and it would work even better now with pot. Then the hundreds of millions of dollars we waste every year could be added to the billions in potential tax revenue that the cannabis industry would generate, and we could let our police get onto more important issues, like terrorism, and keeping cocaine and guns from coming into Canada from the United States. Russell Barth, Educators For A Sensible Drug Policy Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin