AGAIN: A HEALTH ISSUE, NOT A LAW-AND-ORDER ONE

YOUR correspondents Brian McConnell and Ken Russell (Letters, August 7)
distorted my reasons for recriminalising cannabis by focusing on
law-and-order issues.

I have said from the outset that this is a health issue. There will be 100
new cases of fellow Canberrans travelling to Sydney this year to visit brain
specialist Dr John Anderson to treat cannabis-induced mental disorders. I
find this highly disturbing and we must improve cannabis education to stop
our children taking up this destructive drug.

But education starts with sending the right message. Unfortunately the
present laws do not achieve this.

Our kids think cannabis is legal and they think cannabis is not harmful. Our
health and education objectives must work hand-in-hand with our laws.

Right now there is no consequence for minor cannabis offenders. If the
offender decides to ignore the $100 on-the-spot fine, nothing happens. So in
practice the bar for a minor cannabis offence is lower than for a speeding
fine. This does not support efforts to educate about the dangers of
cannabis.

My proposal will not clog the court system. Police would have the option of
issuing a caution which in most cases would mean first-time small cannabis
offenders would not get a conviction recorded.

If my proposal deters one person from becoming an addict, it is worth
fighting for.

DAVE RUGENDYKE MLA Independent Member for Ginninderra