Have you ever noticed how detailed politicians can get while they are trying to distract you from their real intentions?  I watched last Monday as Ontario rolled out its action plan for dealing with the new Marijuana laws coming into effect on October 17th.

The whole issue of pot is a social social issue and withing five minutes Ontario brought it back to being about law enforcement and how some were going to be punished.  Why?  Two good reasons.  Governments are putting on a brave face as they now admit the Canadian war on drugs was a failure.  Society spent billions – well likely close to a trillion in half a century and they don’t want to admit it.  Secondly they now realize they can’t really control it period.  Law enforcement didn’t work because society didn’t really support the law.

Lets look at what the Ontario Government said first.

They would come down hard on impaired drivers and that is a good thing.  The problem is it means nothing they are already coming down hard on impaired drivers it’s a criminal offense.

They will deal harshly with those selling to minors.  Well they can’t seem to find the dealers or there would be more dealers in the court system and prisons, so another hollow promise.   They are going to protect minors and take away any product they have.  They do that now.  They are going to provide education and assistance to teens using it.  Won’t have an effect.  How do I know?  Remember the films in the old days in school?  Surely you remember Refer Madness?

What a blasted joke that was.  All it did was lose the credibility the school system had on the subject.

Then they got down to the quiet soft sell of their real intent  they hoped would pass right over the head of the average consumer of information.  That is the method of sale and distribution. On October 17th you will only be able to buy on line in Ontario interesting they will have a list of consumers names a mile long and they will know where you live as they will mail it to you.  Each resident will be allowed four plants in their home.  With your address they can do house calls.  The big news is they will put the sale out to private business – meaning the larger businesses if you listened closely.

To enforce their position again the returned to the punishment aspect and made it clear they were going to eliminate the illegal operators.  Really, I hate to break the news but the black market sellers will never be eliminated. The set up they are instituting will ensure that. Under age use will now be an even bigger market.  If one doesn’t think so, ask yourself this question. Do under age kids have access to booze and pot?  If you  answered no, you are wrong.   Are there any bootleggers left in society?  If you answered no you are wrong.

What we were witnessing was a government wringing its hands and trying to assure people that all was well while they turned a lucrative business over to large corporations and at the same time, by setting up on line sales they have the identity of the users of the product. All this with a couple of additions is no different than when the governments reversed themselves after admitting they could not stomp out a social vice.  Instead they tax it fair enough, but in this case they created a new industry in the hands of those who will benefit the most so they think. In five year I believe the consumer will go back to the dealers who will under cut the government sales and the public will be asked to assist the government sanctioned producers.

The governments forget they cannot stomp out social sins with regulations  The government of Ontario claimed they consulted with a myriad of organization all except the consumers of the product.   If you do not know what the consumer wants, how can you supply a reliable product that meets their expectations.   I stress again this is only Ontario we can only wait and anticipate what actions other Provinces and cities are going to do.  Ontario has left the door open for illegal marketers, a door they were hoping to close.

If I were to ask you, what a Camel is you would describe it I am sure but you would miss the point.  A Camel is a horse designed by a government committee and that is the state of the proposed plan of action by Ontario. What is the BC plan?

And saving the best for last.  The government of Ontario is going to put a certified sticker on their product.  In a short time that will be like the kiss of death for the product.

 

Fred Steele