There are trade-offs in most decisions in life, but some
tradeoffs are “padded ” when governments make decisions on our behalf. Legalizing marijuana is a case in point and
has much in common with other risky behaviours.
Smoking marijuana has risks to life and limb, as does
cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol excessively. Yet, our provincial government
provides to those who indulge in these risky behaviors “free” health care safety nets. What’s worse
is that these risky behaviours also serve as a source of government funding in
the form of “sin taxes”. They also spawn a hearty brood of new regulations that
serve as cheap chum for nourishing the growth of new and larger regulations-enforcing
bureaucracies.
Who wins? The
politicians and bureaucrats benefit directly by wining elections and building
government careers on failed promises to “win the war on drugs”.
Who loses? The taxpayers ( is anyone surprised?) in two ways:
first, by paying higher taxes and second; by enduring longer waiting lines for
health care services.
Why do we continue to reward citizens for their risky
choices when those who avoid such risks must shoulder the same, or greater, loads?
Is it not time for tough love – to tell those who are tested with nicotine and
THC in their tissues that they will forfeit 50% of their OHIP coverage for incurring
such risks at public expense? Is this
the only way that our citizens will ever come to acknowledge and take
responsibility for their unhealthy lifestyle choices - like marijuana smoking - which carry
consequences for not just themselves but for every innocent citizen?
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