The time has come to legalize marijuana, tax it and create a few hundred thousand jobs. Marc Emery is currently waiting to see if we will let the United States extradite him, to face a possible life sentence for selling seeds on the Internet.
Forty-four per cent of Canadians have admitted to smoking weed, leading to the obvious conclusion that millions of Canadians currently possess marijuana seeds. If you mailed a couple seeds to your friend in the United States in a Christmas card, should you face a possible life sentence in prison?
Emery should get a Nobel peace prize for his work. He has helped alleviate much pain and suffering. He has given people the means to grow their own medical marijuana so they don't have to interact with drug dealers. Many "Mom and Pop" grow operations were started with his seeds, reducing the market share of organized crime, and their profits.
Many cancer patients can't afford medical marijuana in the United States but can afford seeds, the same as in Canada. People have used his seeds to grow marijuana for compassion clubs, some of which gave it away freely to chemotherapy patients.
Emery’s seeds have helped many family farms. When pork and beef prices crashed, some farmers were losing money, trying to keep food on our tables. Some turned to growing marijuana as a means of survival.
For his contribution in taxes and the huge amount he has given to charities, the pain and suffering that has been eased, are we will really going let the United States him? One of our legendary heroes?
Sadly I doubt he will get the peace prize. It isn't like he sent thousands of troops off to war.
The 6797 Proposal (6797.com) recommends making labour intensive services tax deductible, small market media tax credit, legalizing and taxing marijuana and not letting the United States extradite Emery for a possible life sentence.
We would all like the power to deny certain businesses/industries the right to exist based on our own personal morals/beliefs — banks come to mind. The reality is marijuana has been around for thousands of years and won't go away any time soon. Do we really want to keep spending millions of dollars on marijuana prohibition, or would society be better served by regulating the industry, taxing it, keeping people safe and creating jobs?
Support Emery at www.NoExtradition.net.
Brian Johnson, Wingham, Ont.
