On The Trail

I have been to my first three debates. I have gotten a lot more positive response then I thought. Even some conservatives have congratulated me on running and a couple more said my ideas are interesting. People are interested by the potential of hemp and how similar the cannabis prohibition is to the failed booze prohibition. I also did a radio interview on Tuesday. It will be part of two shows on the next two Sundays about Youth voting on KAOS 99.5 FM. I don’t remember the time though. And there is a short clip on me, Brent, and Bob on CHEX tonight at 6pm.

Apparently I got good radio response from the debate at St. Peters Secondary School. I thought that was pretty interesting that Dean (CPC) spend a good deal of his speech attacking my program. But that’s good because he would not have spent any time discussing it if I was not there. I also got three questions from grade school students so I am glad I got WEED into our federal election debate.

But Dean used a suspect statistic- 95-96% of all marijuana grown in Canada goes to the States. I did not have opportunity to respond but I did sort of in the evening debate. But here is information I got from Cannabis Facts

FACT: "Canadian-produced marijuana accounts for only approximately 2% of overall U.S. marijuana seizures at its borders." - U.S.-Canada Border Drug Threat Assessment, Oct. 2004

FACT: Mexico supplies about 46% of the U.S. demand for cannabis. - United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNDCCP) Global Illicit Drug Trends 2002

FACT: "Most of the marihuana available on the American illicit market still originates primarily in the U.S. and in Mexico. Canada ranks far below Mexico as a source for the U.S."- RCMP report:, "The Drug Situation In Canada - 2003"FACT: "The U.S. are basically their own main source of marihuana."- RCMP Report: Marihuana Cultivation in Canada, Nov. 2002

FACT: "Marijuana transported from Canada clearly amounts to only a small percentage of all marijuana smuggled into the United States."- From a 2003 U.S. Justice Department report

The myth that there is a huge marijuana trade south of border is just an excuse for the Liberal and Conservatives parties use as a reason to enforce prohibition. The same excuse is in play with the Con/Lib talking point that US Federal Government will be mad about Canada decriminalization. Well ok they might be ticked but what are they going to do- in North America- individual American States lead the way in decriminalization. Twelve states covering 33% of all Americans have decriminalized marijuana. Eleven of these states have much better decriminalization programs then the proposed Liberal one.

Both Dean and Diane (LPC) brought up the gateway drug theory. Obviously the idea that when you try pot you’re hooked into the drug world is bunk. But there may be some truth to that but tobacco and booze are also gateway drugs and a person's personality is a factor.
But hey I have toked marijuana and the hardest drug I have done is Canadian Rye Whisky- followed closely by tobacco. And the only other drug I have done is caffeine but I don’t do much caffeine because I don’t want to get hooked. :-D

One other point Dean brought up what that you may not do harder drugs after smoking weed but you'll end up doing nothing. Well some of the five million Canadians who have smoked marijuana just might find that offensive. The students, business people, clergymen, artists, engineers, retirees, farmers, cooks, labourers, and other workers in blue and white collar jobs who run for office under the Marijuana Party banner across this great country may also find that offensive.