THE CASE FOR CANNABIS

DON Barnard, of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, is quite right to point out
that cannabis has been decriminalised rather than legalised in parts of
Europe.

He makes a valuable contribution to the debate by explaining the
difference between the two.

Eventually I suspect that Europe will legalise cannabis. In the meantime I
would settle for decriminalisation, provided the same rules applied to all.
I must take issue with the Alliance, which is a registered political party,
when it says that decriminalisation could not work in Britain. Dutch
decriminalisatibn has resulted in fewer young people using cannabis than
young British people.

I have received 65 letters and 32 phone calls on this subject so far, and
there seems to be a 50/50 split. I am truly delighted at the standard of
comment. Those who are against legalising cannabis have put forward some
excellent arguments in a friendly and constructive way.

No, I would not ask Colchester Council to sponsor a debate. People pay
money to the borough council for specific services, a debate on the law is
not one of them. If the Alliance wishes to underwrite the costs, I am sure
that a debate among local people with local people participating would be
great.

Don Quinn,
King Stephen Road,
Colchester