As can be gathered from
this 2008 article, treating the organized crime problem in BC as a pot problem that can be solved by legalizing pot grossly oversimplifies the situation.
Quote:
Consider, for a moment, just a few figures that show the size and scope of the crime industry in B.C.:
· There are an estimated 20,000 marijuana grow ops in houses across the province, and many thousands more hidden in the mountains and valleys of the interior. It's conservatively estimated that marijuana is an industry with revenues of $5 billion to $7 billion a year.
· In the last few years, according to the Canadian Border Services Agency, more than $1 billion worth of cocaine has been seized at borders in the Pacific region. One media report last fall found the amount of cocaine recovered at B.C.'s borders more than tripled in the previous two years.
· The province is the main port of entry for chemicals used in the manufacture of drugs such as methamphetamine and ecstasy, while B.C.-based Asian gangs are the largest suppliers of ecstasy to Canada and the U.S.
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Edit: Not to mention the fact that legalizing pot won't eliminate the underground pot growing and distribution networks run by organized crime. Consider that even though cigarettes have never been illegal and are readily available in stores,
one estimate puts the sale of black market cigarettes at 27% of all sales in Canada.