i am not a criminal

a plea

i am not a criminal

i am a simple business man, simple at heart and simple in my conduct. like all businessmen, i buy my stuff from the wholesaler or his agent and sell it to the customers. that is how the business has been run ever since the barter system went out. economic theories have been formed around it. and the world economy has thrived through it. i would also like to contribute to it and i do contribute in my simple way.  

it is true that the number of dealers is limited and most of the customers are attached to particular suppliers. that always happened. take the case of airlines. the number is limited and so they determine the price which the travellers have to pay and yet they travel by the same airlines time and time again. a relationship develops between me and my customers. they know me and i know them and their needs and endeavour to supply to the best of my ability.

let me categorically say here that my stuff is harmless. there have been no deaths due to use of my stuff. that cannot be said to be the case with guns. how many people have died because of guns. that reminds me of another scourge of modern times. how many people have died because of car accidents and yet cars are around every corner and on every road. when a particular serious gun shooting occurs, there is a murmur to stop sale of guns but is quickly suppressed and gun industry goes on as before. so far as cars are concerned, serious accidents with multiple casualties are reported and forgotten. not even whimper about banning cars.

what is the relevance of these statements? simply that a group of silly politicians declared my stuff to be illegal. its possession, its sale, its transport is made illegal. i repeat that no one has been harmed during the long period of use of my stuff  ,which cannot be said to be true of guns and cars and also medicines.

the news appear regularly that my stuff worth thousands of dollars has been seized. actually it is all a manipulation. it is a simple plant, just like any vegetable, grown and sold. sometimes it is it processed and refined to make its use more effective. all medicines follow the same principle. some medicines have material worth cents but sold at fifty dollars or so. it is a regular racket and everyone knows it but the government looks other way. i am sure that if my stuff is free from restrictions, its price will come down drastically. presently the price is high because of the risks involved in storing it, transporting it, selling it. once that factor is gone, it would be as cheap as broccoli.

it is often propagated that this stuff becomes addictive. but so does liquor and gambling and horse racing and so many other things. if you want a cure for addiction to alcohol, you have organizations like alcoholic anonymous to take care of it. please note that alcoholic anonymous is not government sponsored and does not receive government grants. likewise there can be drugs anonymous for my stuff. it is all a matter of planning and dedication. even at some loss to me, i will like to contribute to such an organization because as a simple businessman and as an honest man, i do not encourage addition. i am satisfied with my reasonable profit margin.

sometimes i wonder why public does not agitate for lower prices.  before i conclude, i would like to point out that social maladies should be met by social remedies. there can be even religious taboos. i am told that a particular sect does not take onions and garlic in india. they are welcome to this decision but they do not prevent others from enjoying them. that is the spirit.

but realisation is coming that artificial restrictions are not the solution. canada has allowed the possession, transport and use of marijuana. so far crime position in canada has not deteriorated by this decision. in india, the stuff was perfectly legal for centuries and at some time government shops sold it. there was no crime because of this. it is figment of imaginations of silly politicians who keep on thinking of harassing the public while stockpiling armaments which can destroy the world many times over again.