NEW DRUG LAWS 'GUARANTEED TO FAIL'

Re: Justice Minister Responds, letter to the editor, Nov. 24. Justice
Minister Rob Nicholson laughably attempts to defend mandatory minimum
sentences by mentioning that "the police and the judiciary will use
their discretion to ... set a sentence between six months to 14
years." Mr. Nicholson, that's not discretion, and mandatory minimum
sentences by their very definition remove discretion.

Organized crime isn't going to be the target of these laws, it's
going to be everyday, mom-and-pop basement marijuana growers.

Tim Meehan, Ottawa.