Ji@nBing Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 The mayor of Vancouver, Canada's third largest city, is urging federal lawmakers to legalize marijuana."It's a billion-dollar industry in this province. We (should) tax the living hell out of that and put it into health care," mayor Larry Campbell told reporters Wednesday. The former federal drug cop and one-time coroner made the comments in support of a comprehensive anti-drug strategy report that will be presented to city council on June 14. It recommends legalizing and regulating marijuana to let drug counsellors apply education programs to stem drug use akin to a successful strategy used to reduce tobacco smoking and dangerous drinking. But federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler immediately dismissed the idea, saying: "We don't want to go down the route of legalization." The Canadian government is planning to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, imposing a fine instead of criminal charges for use, and toughen penalties for growing or selling the drug. Smuggling arrests and police raids of marijuana growing operations have become so common in Canada, especially in the westernmost province of British Columbia, they are almost an everyday occurrence. In the Vancouver metropolis, 1,731 marijuana growers have been arrested since 2000, police told AFP. Illegal marijuana cultivation is estimated to add nearly two billion dollars to the local economy annually. US drug enforcement officials estimate as much as 85 percent of British Columbias cannabis harvest is exported to the United States. Legalizing marijuana, the report concluded, would also keep it out of the realm of criminal organizations. Source I think it's a smart idea. Imagine all the tax money that could be gained from it to go towards healthcare, ect.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 (Y) Legalization Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lav-chan Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Whenever someone brings up legalising marijuana, i always wonder how safe it'd be. Like, can you safely drive a car stoned? Or operate machinery? I'm guessing it's probably not as dangerous as being drunk, but still sorta dangerous. If that's the case, they're going to have to have some way to test people for marijuana, right? Sorta like they do with Breathalyzers for alcohol? I'm OK with legalising marijuana (i think it's stupid, but not necessarily the Devil), but first they'd have to figure that part out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ji@nBing Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 Whenever someone brings up legalising marijuana, i always wonder how safe it'd be. Like, can you safely drive a car stoned? Or operate machinery?I'm guessing it's probably not as dangerous as being drunk, but still sorta dangerous. If that's the case, they're going to have to have some way to test people for marijuana, right? Sorta like they do with Breathalyzers for alcohol? I'm OK with legalising marijuana (i think it's stupid, but not necessarily the Devil), but first they'd have to figure that part out. 586043864[/snapback] They would test the same way they test for other drugs and the way they test for pot now. Train the officers how to look for the signs and use thier judgement. It's not going to effect how many people are driving stoned much at all. The people that are going to do it, already to it. It being legal isn't going to suddenly make a lot more people use it. The people who are going to use it, already are. It's a fairly accepted thing in Canada. Actually, the main place to score weed in the city I am from (Victoria) is right in front of City Hall :p . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastique Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 i forget who said this, some comic "well ya see, we can't legalize pot. why? well if we legalize it people will smoke it!" all drugs shoudl be legal and regulated. What gives Georgie Bush the right to tell me what I can and cannot put into my body? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattimeo Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 i forget who said this, some comic"well ya see, we can't legalize pot. why? well if we legalize it people will smoke it!" all drugs shoudl be legal and regulated. What gives Georgie Bush the right to tell me what I can and cannot put into my body? 586044914[/snapback] rofl...I love it when people blame good ol george for something that isn't even mentioned anywhere in the posts. It truly shows the intelligence of people who can't make an educated opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennifer Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Whenever someone brings up legalising marijuana, i always wonder how safe it'd be. Like, can you safely drive a car stoned? Or operate machinery? 586043864[/snapback] Well im guessing they'd have to treat weed like they treat drink - you cant drive intoxicated, you cant go to work intoxicated. No, you cant drive properly stoned, riding a bike is pretty tough, I wouldnt trust someone operating a machine I was also working with if i knew they were cained! And as has been said, if you want it, you can get it, easily. If you dont want it, you wont start doing it just because its legal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xpablo Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 The legalization of Marijuana, Good one Larry ! Lefty, Larry Campbell cracks me up he also wants too open up a crack centre in downtown Vancouver, thinks the Free Heroin centre in Vancouver is doing great, if your planning on becoming a Junkie, come to Vancouver they'll give you free herion, and coming soon Free Crack, Sorry but lefty Larry says no to free Pot, he wants to Tax pot so they can supply more heroin & syringes to junkies. Legalize pot so all the Pot heads can drive and get stoned at same time, bad enough we have 2 Transit Bus drivers getting caught smoking a Joint before they start their shift. Larry's Idea for Vancouver is too be the Amsterdam of North America, funny when you think about when Vanderzalm was mayor of Vancouver, he never invisioned this and he's dutch. I gotta move out of this stupid country, Canada all the Socialist Politicians are destroying this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Whenever someone brings up legalising marijuana, i always wonder how safe it'd be. Like, can you safely drive a car stoned? Or operate machinery?I'm guessing it's probably not as dangerous as being drunk, but still sorta dangerous. If that's the case, they're going to have to have some way to test people for marijuana, right? Sorta like they do with Breathalyzers for alcohol? I'm OK with legalising marijuana (i think it's stupid, but not necessarily the Devil), but first they'd have to figure that part out. 586043864[/snapback] Test people for marijuana lmao. Look at there eyes or just smell. You will figure it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lav-chan Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 You can smell like marijuana or have blood-shot eyes without being high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-}x0{- Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 AFAIK they do mouth swab tests in the states now, but it isnt widely used because the swab can detect the substance long after it is still active in the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boffa Jones Veteran Posted June 11, 2005 Veteran Share Posted June 11, 2005 You can smell like marijuana or have blood-shot eyes without being high. 586046606[/snapback] It's not too tough to tell though. And at that point they could take a sample. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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