TOBACCO, ALCOHOL NO REASON TO LEGALISE CANNABIS

Sir - I have read with interest, amusement, and dismay the debate
about legalising or decriminalising cannabis.

While undoubtedly the label "criminal" is too strong to be attached to
someone who indulges this weakness, sometimes what users do under its
influence or to fund its purchase, does justify the label.

To say we have addictive, harmful, legal drugs is no basis to legalise
another. The real difference is social cost; I wonder how many
drinkers or tobacco users go on to try heroin. How many young girls
are prostituting themselves for tobacco or a beer? How many burglaries
are committed to fund alcohol/tobacco?

To say we can better educate and control its use is to display the
optimism only a snowball in hell would display or to say that it is so
prevalent we may as well legalise ... well, we may as well legalise
stupid members of Parliament.

P. J. Shamy
June 17, 2000