While I enjoyed H.M. Thorton's thoughtful letter (Nov. 6) decrying the
fact that the Charter is allowing too many guilty persons to go free, I
must rebuke an astonishingly witless quote in the letter that detracted
from this important message.

The words attributed to "McLung JA in the Court of Appeal" contained the
statement that most Canadians are "concerned with the contagion of serious
crime and social devastation directly traceable to the heroin trade."
This is a misleading miscellany of errors and demagoguery.

1. There is no evidence that ingesting heroin induces a person to commit
crimes.

2. The crime that some heroin users perpetuate is a direct result of the
price of heroin being forced sky-high because its use is prohibited by
law. Users are forced to steal and commit other crimes in order to be
able to pay those high prices. End prohibition, the cost of heroin
tumbles, the crime ceases.

3. Since when is "social devastation" against the law? Many Ontario
residents may consider that Mike Harris's government is wreaking social
devastation on Ontario by cutting costs. Will "McLung JA" have Ontarians
call 911 and have the premier hauled off to jail?

Alan Randell
Victoria.