LETTER OF THE WEEK

Pot User Weighs In

By Alison Myrden

Re "High rise housed a $1M grow op," (July 16):

Having retired from law enforcement more than a decade ago, and
having been one of Canada's first 20 people to receive a licence to
grow and use marijuana as medicine many years ago, I see absolutely
nothing has changed with the war on drugs. People are still taking
advantage of the easy market involved with the "grow your own"
marijuana culture, are more than familiar with the millions of
dollars to be made in this prohibited list of substances and this
story is a prime example.

Exemptees like myself are targeted daily for different reasons
regarding our choice of cannabis as medicine, strictly because of
people like these. We go into extreme debt trying to take care of
our cannabis needs and our health all the time ( if we are even able
) which often means tending to our plants daily, watering, feeding
and transplanting more often than not. Our homes do not look like
this apartment did when the police arrived.

Next the government sends us to the street for our medicine, as their
source is somewhat questionable in potency and strength. The
Compassion Clubs around town hold their breath daily while they serve
us wondering as to whether or not there will be a visit from their
local or regional police.

Then, our home insurance is denied and or cancelled by most major
insurance companies due to medical gardens being considered illegal
"grow ops" by most confused citizens and lastly, we are the target of
continuous home invasions. What kind of a life is this for a
licensed medical patient?

Stories like this just add to people's confusion and hysteria
involving the very few grow operations that do turn out poorly.

Legalize and regulate marijuana and all drugs so that our children
and the street market no longer lead this issue and so that
responsible adults have safe, affordable and consistent access.

Please -- our lives depend on it.

Alison Myrden

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

( Few grow ops turn out poorly? Are you serious? )

Pubdate - Sun, 23 Jul 2006

Source - Toronto Sun (CN ON)

Details - http://www.mapinc.org/media/457

Referenced - http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n000/a283.html

Author - Alison Myrden

Note - Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor