PROHIBITION THE ISSUE WITH POT

To the editor:

I am always amazed when people try to regulate human behavior. What
makes people think that they can tell others what to do, what is
right and what is wrong?

There are cannabis activists including myself that are trying to
promote the idea that responsible adult consumption of cannabis is
harming no one. Yet people like Nicole Larusso "Drug crusaders
listen up," (NDN letters, August 15, 2006) want to lump all cannabis
users into one group and portray us as all as being irresponsible and
deserving of some kind of punishment. It kind of reminds me of
Nelson's dog by-law.

Also, why is it that people like to focus on the surface problems
instead of what (are) the root causes. Irresponsible drug use is a
surface problem. The poverty, lack of education and employment, and
a government that protects corporate interest over the interest of
its people are the root causes.

Finally, prohibition creates crime not cannabis. We should have
learned these lessons with alcohol prohibition. You can not force
people to give up their vices and when you do, you give the money for
those vices over to the hands of criminals. In fact it can create
vast criminal empires (like the C.I.A.).

In fact when you boil down the whole issue it comes down to money.
Pharmaceutical companies want you to keep buying their drugs with
harsh side effects. Police forces want to keep their budgets up so
they criminalize a health issue.

I think people need to really research this issue instead of
regurgitating old, disproved propaganda.

Philip McMillan

Nelson Cannabis Compassion Club