Illegal marijuana leads people to use cocaine instead

BY TONY SMITH, VANCOUVER SUN

 

Today many people believe that marijuana should be legalized, and among those who disagree, the majority believe it is the least harmful of the illegal drugs.

 

Marijuana is the most easily detected drug by far, it gives itself away by its smell, which is universally recognized. It is that factor that causes the more susceptible to use cocaine rather than marijuana.

 

Consider a bar or coffee shop, where pot smokers join the other smokers outside, in the toilets, or in other designated smoking areas they are strongly discouraged and probably asked to leave.

 

If the police are checking any of these businesses, they will smell the smoke and undoubtedly convey their disappointment to the owners, who will do their best to ensure it doesn't happen again.

 

The direct consequence, is that those who visit these establishments are much more likely to snort cocaine than use the more benign alternative. Cocaine has no smell to give it away, is universally available, is gone in a flash and comes in a tiny package.

 

If this is not troubling enough in itself, it plays directly into the pockets of the gangs. They ship B.C. bud south to optimize their profits, and meanwhile the cocaine market in B.C. is strengthened by fear of detection by authorities if anyone is foolish enough to smoke marijuana publicly.

 

From a gangster's point of view it is ideal with a side-effect of law enforcement optimizing their markets. Could we all be so fortunate in our marketing advantages.

 

Tony Smith

 

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition member Langley