What is less socially disruptive than alcohol, less addictive
than tobacco, less harmful to your health than caffeine, and
whose use is a criminal offence in this country? Don't know?
How about this one: what's causing unnecessary emotional,
physical and financial suffering to otherwise law-abiding
citizens, while making real criminals rich? Give up?

The answer to the first is marijuana. To the second, the laws
against its use. In some countries, they put people to death for
drinking alcohol. Our government is more humane. We just put
people in jail for smoking pot, while our leaders dictate the
official "drug of choice" for Canadians: the one they use themselves.
It is possible for a person to be elected to public office even
if he or she is a regular drinker, provided they've never
inhaled. Come on Canada, let's set an example to the States.

Let's show them that the "war on drugs" can't be won by draconian
laws, but only through education. Let's stop being hypocrites and
decriminalize marijuana, the least harmful drug around.

Barbara Tanner
Ottawa