Thank you for the amazing front-page article "Pot seized in airborne
raid" [Sept. 4], and the hilarious picture of a few armfuls of plants
being unloaded from a multi-million-dollar military helicopter. It well
portrays an archetype of mismanagement of public funds on a colossal
scale and clearly shows the stupidity of the war on drugs.

In this case, we have two helicopters, 20 armed soldiers and police, a
police boat, one Zodiac and a truck involved in the "military-style
operation." Estimated cost, anyone? And who did this crack force
launch their blitz on? The sleepy residents of one of the small islands
off the coast, and insidious patches of a natural herb growing on crown
land. Any guesses how many Lasqueti Island residents live above the
poverty line? Not many, let me tell you!

We are not talking drug manufacturers here. We are not even talking
commercial scale agriculture of the plant that currently brings more
revenue into B.C. than any other farm commodity. "Mostly in groups of
10 to 40 plants" is comparable to police coming with guns to raid your
back yard for a bushel or two of tomatoes.

The "million dollars' worth" seized is inflated police values to try to
justify wasting taxpayers' money confiscating this winter's recreational
smoke from a bunch of poor people who can't defend themselves from the
stormtroopers of the Empire.

As for not knowing who grew it, why not just arrest the whole island?
There are only 350 people there, not enough for their votes to count.
And everyone must have known even if they didn't do it, which makes them
all guilty as accomplices.

In fact, I guess we should all be locked up. Sixty to 80 per cent of
our population has enjoyed the relaxing benefits of a toke at one time
or another, including our prime minister and most of our politicians,
and even a large portion of the police force that is doing the busts.

The Canadian population is ready for decriminalization of the growing
and possession of marijuana. We are no longer willing to waste money
chasing gentle people growing harmless plants. The government's primary
objective must be redirected to the protection of rights and freedoms of
the people, and away from enforcing outdated morality. Let's quit
wasting money chasing potheads, and put our police to work on real
crimes.

Ridgley Clark
Victoria