REEFER MADNESS MYTH HURTS THE PROVINCE

As the owner of the hemp store, obviously cannabis hemp and marijuana are
areas of great concern to me.

The issue of greatest concern in this election to me however, is the lack
of basic human and civil rights accorded to cannabis consumers. (We are
after all Canadian citizens too.)

I have books on display in the store which are illegal literature. Under
Criminal Code sec. 462.2, any person having literature that promotes the
use of cannabis (even medicinal cannabis) is subject to prison and a fine
of up to $100,000 for the first offence, and up to $300,000 for a second
offence. (For having books!)

(The editor may want to check with the paper's legal team before they print
this letter.)

Because I agree with marijuana decriminalization, this letter is
banned/prohibited literature. It's very very sad.

Isn't it odd that the Liberal party's political literature is A-O.K., yet
the MJ party's pamphlets are illegal.

We cannabis consumers, who are otherwise law abiding citizens, are decent
people and for the most part are not evil or criminal.

I would like to know whether a Liberal government will restore these rights
that have been taken away from the marijuana consuming segment of Canadian
society? (over 60 per cent of Canadians polled agreed with
decriminalization of marijuana.) Virtually every major government study in
the western world agreed with decriminalization of marijuana except the USA.

When asked the two Liberal candidates who are running locally about this,
they either said "more study is required", or inferred that marijuana leads
to a life in a back alley near Hastings and Main St. (the very old gate to
heroin theory).

Well, let me assure you that the studies have already been done. The
evidence is already in. Reefer Madness isn't real. It's propaganda from the
'40s.

We live in an age of knowledge and information Mr/Ms politician, please get
to know about cannabis and its history before you dismiss it completely.
(Call me, I'll be glad to teach you anything you want to know about the
plant and its past use in Canada).

It seems to me that the Liberals will sweep the election this time around.

So please put a speed bump in the road, vote for The Marijuana Party as
opposition.

Signed: Mark Russell, The Hemp Store, Coombs