HOLY SMOKE VERDICT DOES LITTLE TO SOLVE MARIJUANA ISSUE

To the Editor,

Re: DeFelice gets one year in jail, October 16, 2008

Lawyer Don Skogstad said that Judge Sperry's decision to hand down a
harsh decision was based on a motive of deterrence for Mr. DeFelice
and the "public generally".

However, does anyone really think marijuana is going to go away now
that Paul DeFelice is in jail?

Not a chance!

The basic economic principle of supply and demand means that it would
be a serious mistake to think there will be any deterrence for the
"public generally".

Instead, what we need to do is to create a safe, legal and regulated
marijuana market.

It is extremely dangerous to hand over the 7 billion dollar per year
B.C.marijuana industry to organized crime.

Prohibition only creates rich, greedy gangs with their violence and
drug turf wars.

We need safe communities.

All we are doing now is wasting millions and millions of hard earned
taxpayers' dollars in a futile attempt to eliminate marijuana.

The Holy Smoke 4 defense was valid. It is indeed a "necessity" to end
marijuana prohibition.

Herb Couch

Nelson, B.C.