Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jan 2013
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2013 William (Bill) VanderGraaf
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: William (Bill) VanderGraaf

FREEDOM TO GROW

It was interesting to read the police say home grow-ops are on the
rise. It confirms the view of many people that the prohibition of
drugs is a continuing failed policy.

It was further interesting that police officers have turned from law
enforcement to social health policy experts and tax collectors. An
unidentified drug warrior from the police says homegrown operations
carry hidden but real dangers, such as high humidity, mould, fire,
structural problems and people breathing in fertilizer chemicals and
insect spray. Of course, you will find such problems in large,
commercial-style grows, mostly funded by organized crime, who turn
profits into corruption of public officials, more insidious substances
and battle on our streets for control of the lucrative drug trade.

There are many smaller home grow operations, mostly licensed and
unlicensed medical marijuana users who grow solely for themselves and
family, in a perfectly safe manner. The government's threat of
mandatory minimum sentencing for even small grows and the anticipated
prohibition of all grows by licensed medical marijuana users for
themselves, certainly is ineffective and will continue to cause more
harms to the community than marijuana itself. Based on the population
of Manitoba, it will take law enforcement approximately 200 years to
eliminate the estimated 4,500 grow operations in this province alone.
As a retired police officer, I am aware that the local police can only
raid about one or two grows a month using extra officers available on
certain days. A make-work project, if you will.

A more sensible drug policy, ending prohibition, would, over time,
eliminate the need for most home grow operations.

William (Bill) VanderGraaf

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition -- LEAP Canada Winnipeg
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D