For years now, self-proclaimed radical socialist, John Smithee, has led us to believe that he was an ardent anti-capitalist.

Yet here we have him describing hard-pressed working class entrepreneurs as ‘scum of the earth’, and calling for their overthrow by well-heeled industrialists and businessmen.

How very bizarre. What mind altering event has caused such a sad reversal of his political principles? Ah yes, of course, it’s the happy prospect of all the money to be made from legalising the mass production, sale and taxation of cannabis.

Colorado in the USA legalised it in 2014, crows our born-again capitalist, buzzing with delight at the news that individual dope peddlers in Colorado have been ousted by a rapidly expanding and mega-buck industry in cannabis production and licensed drug dealing.

These in turn have created an ever increasing market of regular pot heads, whose drug addiction has already brought £76 million to Colorado’s government in sales and excise taxation. A drug-dependent state, no less.

So let’s forget about all the medical evidence of permanent brain damage caused by cannabis to tens of thousands of users each year: dementia-like memory loss and the psychotic episodes, often dangerously violent, and likewise ignore the misery it inflicts on addicts’ families and loved ones.

Instead, like Mr Smithee, we should try to focus our thoughts on all the lovely ‘dosh’ that industry, commerce and the tax man could make out of deal in the destructive stuff.

VICTORIA GILLICK

Wisbech