LETTER OF THE DAY

Editor, The News:

I must admit to being somewhat surprised to read an editorial in your paper
supporting the legalization of marijuana. I do not think you did much
research or gave this subject serious thought.

You do a disservice to your readers by taking up the cause of pot smoking
social engineers who call for the legalization of marijuana without
presenting any meaningful statistical information to back up their demands.

They are prone to use Holland as an example of a sensible, modern-day
solution which, to my way of thinking, is not something we would want for
our city.

There are 300 illegal drug dealers in Amsterdam where 80 per cent of the
houses are in the hands of traffickers.

It has been dubbed "McDope'' by the press.

If we were to subscribe to Amsterdam's solution would we then be known as
"McDope Vancouver Ltd.?''

While it is true that most citizens would approve of decriminalizing users,
they also want meaningful sentences handed out to those who grow marijuana
and sell it.

If there is no convictions, growers will simply move to another location
and start over again.

It's ironic that the police are being threatened with court action for
destroying "private property'' when they disable the grow-op equipment. If
it's okay to destroy the plants, why isn't it okay to destroy the equipment?

For years we have had an ongoing war with the tobacco companies involving
millions of dollars in health care damage settlements and we have spent
millions more in trying to convince people not to smoke.

Little or no research has been done of the effects of smoking pot. About
all we have are the testimonials of pot smokers which in my view would not
carry much weight because this group has a vested interest in seeing it
legitimized.

One bit of factual statistical information that should cause society much
concern is that 85 per cent of our teen-age hard core drug addicts smoked
marijuana before graduating to hard drugs.

There is no easy answer to this very serious problem and so far, no one has
put forth a rational solution.

Until we have a lot more information and experience we should be paying
careful attention to what the Vancouver Police, who are closest to the
problem, are saying which is that it should not be legalized.

I believe it would be irresponsible not to stay the course.

Al C. Johnson

Abbotsford