"When The Smoke
Clears..." -- Ottawa Citizen Editorial Calls for Legalization of Marijuana
Ottawa Citizenletters@thecitizen.southam.ca
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/
February 15, 1998
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS...
0ver the last year, we tried very hard. So did The Economist and Alberta Report.
Financier George Soros has spent $15 million trying. Nobel Prize-winner Milton Friedman,
former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, and commentator William F. Buckley have all
tried. In fact, just about every policy analyst in the field has tried. Despite all this, the political powers-that-be refused even to discuss
legalizing marijuana.
And then a little bit of dope was found in Ross Rebagliati's pee. Suddenly, bright
television lights shone down on stammering MPs, and many Canadians who may never have
thought about the issue are asking, so why is it illegal? The snowboarder from Whistler
may have inadvertently done what all the incontrovertible evidence and the best efforts of
many could not: The political powers may finally be forced to answer
for marijuana criminalization.
An honest debate is far from certain, however. With the
honourable exception of Alexa McDonough - who favours decriminalization - party leaders
would sooner scrap their pensions than give a straight answer about legalization.
But they may not be able to keep ducking the weed. The reaction of the Canadian
public to the Rebagliati scandal confirms what has become increasingly clear: Most of the public no longer accepts the myth that marijuana is a serious
danger that warrants criminalization. If parliamentarians still take seriously their
responsibility to reflect the public will in a considered way, the sweet smell of frank
debate will soon waft through the House of Commons.
Supported