Thanks for the editorial on the Victoria police's attempts to shut down the
Sacred Herb (Feb. 16).

Ian Hunter is one of the vast majority of pot smokers who aren't social
outcasts who end up dying in a gutter from a heroin overdose. I hope
Victoria city council doesn't succumb to the police's tactics in order to
appear to be on high moral ground.

All over Canada, police are using the tactic of raiding a business, waiting
several months, and raiding the same establishment again and again, as has
happened with Marc Emery's Hemp Nation. This is nothing short of legalized
harassment.

These incidents tarnish the image of the police. With pointless raids that
seek to dissuade Ian Hunter and others who believe in legalizing cannabis
from pursuing their democratic rights; with harassing of the local
prostitutes; the handling of crowds at the out-of-control party a few
months back; the protests at APEC; and the tactics used in the sandcastle
riots (e.g. pepper spray anyone in sight), I have difficulty in respecting
authority when it comes to serious matters such as murders, drinking and
driving, and other incidents.

Despite some of the negative media coverage of issues such as cannabis,
there is a huge portion of the population that has decided to look beyond
the cloak of the long-running "Reefer Madness" campaign and see the real
facts for themselves.

Daniel Tourigny
Colwood, BC, Canada