MAKE IT LEGAL FOR ME TO BUY AND SMOKE MARIJUANA IN MY HOME

I will be 51 in June, the month that will mark my 34th year of full-time
employment in Canada. I have dutifully paid my taxes each year. And for 22
of those years I worked in defence of Canada as a member of the Royal
Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Anne McLellan, I want to be able to smoke marijuana in the privacy of my
own home. And I don't want to have to deal with criminals to get it. Nor do
I want to go to all the trouble and expense of growing the stuff for my own
use.

I want to be able to go to a local store, look through a reasonable variety
of plants and purchase a few grams for my personal use once in a while,
much as I would do if I wanted to purchase a case of beer or a bottle of wine.

I do not believe this is an unreasonable request in a free society. Please
save the tired arguments about the dangers of marijuana for other
less-informed people who may be more susceptible to propaganda.

I know marijuana may not be a healthy substance to ingest into my lungs,
Ms. McLellan.

But what is healthy is that we maintain the right as free Canadians to make
personal decisions and to choose those substances we may wish to use. And
what is not healthy are laws restricting personal choice.

It is time in Canada to have a reasoned, open debate about marijuana.

It is time for you as Justice minister to take action toward permitting the
legal use of ma-rijuana in Canada.

Dave Burkhart,

St. Albert, Alta.