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this money from the
hands of criminals could
aversely affect more than
just organized crime.
Although pot activists
decry the current use of
public funds on the war
on drugs—Vancouver-
based advocate Jodie
Emery spoke out against
the cost of marijuana
prohibition on CTV News
last month, criticizing
that the “tax payers

are spending millions
and millions of dollars
every year on drug law
enforcement, court costs,
prison...”—it also seems
that the money spent
fighting pot use has
created many jobs within
the province. If marijuana
were no longer illegal,

it could have adverse
economic repercussions
as those employed to
oppose marijuana could
find themselves suddenly
out of work. While one
could argue that the

tax revenue generated
from legal sales could
also generate new
initiatives and sources

of employment, there
would undoubtedly

be far-reaching
consequences in a variety
of sectors.

Legalizing marijuana
would also have massive
political consequences.
Despite the majority
of Canadians now
supporting the idea of
legalization (an Angus
Reid poll released on
November 29 attested to
57 per cent of Canadians
and 60 per cent of
British Columbians
being in favour of
legalizing marijuana),
many politicians have
publically expressed
resolute views in
opposition. Prime
Minister Stephen Harper
firmly stated last year
that, "No, it will not
happen under our
government...We're
very concerned about
the spread of drugs in
the country and the
damage it's doing and

as you know we have
legislation before the
House [of Commons] to
crack down.” A change in
a viewpoint this strong
would require a major
shift in the politics of our
highest leaders.

Could we handle it?

Taking money, crime and
politics off the table, the
question of whether or
not to legalize marijuana
in British Columbia
often comes down to
social issues. After a
lifetime of prohibition

of the substance,

many members of the
community perceive
marijuana as illicit and
inherently bad.

One problem is that
many people view weed
as a “gateway drug”
that leads people to
use harder substances
like cocaine, heroin, or
crystal meth. Though
the amount of weed
being purchased in this
province might suggest
that marijuana use is
fairly commonplace in
BC—whereas hard drug
use is not—this long-
standing and long-taught
idea could be difficult to
change for many citizens.

Another issue with
legalizing weed is that,
unlike with alcohol, it is
difficult to measure if it is
being used dangerously
or irresponsibly.
Marijuana can affect a
user’s judgment, and
there is no quick test that
can be used to accurately
analyze someone’s
marijuana use (like a
breathalyzer test would
determine how much
alcohol a driver has

consumed) when driving.

If legalized, this could
pose an issue for public
safety.

Snuffing out a solution
The decision to legalize
marijuana in British
Columbia is not clear-cut.
What is clear, however, is

that the issue is nearing
a breaking point—two
out of three respondents
in the Angus Reid poll
feel that the “war on
drugs” is a failure, and,
while the majority is

 

slim, more people in this
province feel that pot
should be decriminalized
than don’t. As more and
more of our neighbours,
like Washington, make
changes to the status quo

position on pot, perhaps it
would be worthwhile for
more of the community

to look beyond our long-
engrained views and
consider all sides to the
story.

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