Michael C. Chettleburgh. Put the Gangs out of Business: Legalize Drugs. National Post. June 13, 2007 – “Rather than continue to incur only the massive costs of the drug trade — addictions, policing, corrections and loss of life — why not also capture the massive financial benefit (over $400-billion in North America alone), which we presently reserve for the exclusive enjoyment of street gangs and other criminal organizations?
Like other drugs we deem socially acceptable — nicotine delivered in cigarettes and alcohol for instance, which collectively kill about 50,000 Canadians every year — we ought to control the production and distribution of illicit drugs and tax their consumption.
Let’s start with cannabis, Canada’s favourite drug by far. This move alone will generate a multi-billion dollar fiscal dividend that can be used to cover the costs we now incur despite prohibition, enforce more stringent laws against sales to minors, and invigorate Canada’s meagre prevention and harm-reduction initiatives. This step would also go far to restoring public trust in law enforcement, which has been diminished by their involvement in imposing futile drug laws.”
Comment & Debate