PURE PROPAGANDA

Re: Crime bill 'a slap in the face' to judges, Gomery says, Nov. 27.

While I am glad to hear retired judge John Gomery thinks that the
Conservative government's crime bill is backward and
counterproductive, I am concerned of his characterization of so-called
marijuana "grow-ops" as a "horrendous crime." Indoor growing, done
properly, is perfectly safe, but a well-crafted propaganda campaign on
behalf of anti-marijuana groups seems to have infiltrated the national
conversation.

When people see sensationalist headlines and pictures of police in
unnecessary hazardous-materials gear taking down home gardens, they
get the impression that this activity is somehow dangerous.

However, people should talk to anyone who works in a greenhouse to get
the truth. Besides, Health Canada licenses these so-called "grow-ops"
for critically and chronically ill Canadians from coast to coast to
coast. It's only the police, for their own self-serving reasons, that
think they are dangerous. Unfortunately, since this line has been
picked up by the judiciary, it makes the fight to expose the truth
that much harder.

Tim Meehan,

Ottawa