KEEP CANNABIS ILLEGAL

Make available cannabis-based drugs for pain relievance and other medical
purposes after appropriate medical research?

Sounds sensible . . . yes.

Legalise cannabis for retail over the shop counter and thereby massively
increase availability and consumption in the population, particularly, most
likely, among young people? Don't be taken in by the protagonists' proposed
age-limit restriction, just think of the widespread instance of school-aged
abuse of cheap wines, ciders, and alcopops on the street-corners and
backyards of every city and town in the country.

No. I don't think so.

The chattering classes have exploded into hyperactivity over the issue,
quoting all sorts of arguments in justification - many clearly without
substance or effective foundation. The single assertion that justifies
proper consideration is that legalisation could mitigate against the
illegal drugs barons and subsequently break the link between "soft" and
"hard" drugs - particularly heroin.

This argument is not at all convincing and even if proven to have some
merit would have to be balanced against the social effects of the likely
huge increase in cannabis consumption. I read once that in order to negate
and offset attendance at an anti-Vietnam war demonstration in California,
the then governor, Ronald Reagan, organised a counter all-invited "party" -
with free cannabis - having a good measure of success in his aim. Those who
promote themselves as supporters of the need for "radical" change in our
free-market driven society should perhaps pause to consider as to whether
the wider availability of narcotics is likely to help or hinder progressive
furtherance of that aim.

Jim McDaid, 41 Crauford Avenue, West Kilbride.

If the government sees fit to legalise the sale and use of cannabis, can I
and millions of other taxpayers expect to contribute towards the programmes
of health warnings that will subsequently ensue if the strategy adopted is
similar to that for tobacco? If so, then I for one am against such
legalisation.

Alastair Knox, 50 Brodie Park Avenue, Paisley.

Deborah Kerr