PROHIBITING MARIJUANA WON'T SOLVE ANYTHING

To the Editor,

Re: Province losing war on drug gangs, Jan. 15.

Tom Fletcher isn't just accurately describing the way things are; he's
describing the direction things are moving to.

In the early 1970s, the Le Dain Commission's report, along with
Canada's 2002 Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs report, unanimously
recommended to regulate cannabis (marijuana) the same way as alcohol.

Since Canada ignored those recommendations, the problems associated
with prohibiting the relatively safe, God-given plant cannabis, have
escalated.

Millions of North Americans have utter contempt for the continent's
discredited cannabis laws which are nothing more than government
subsidized discrimination.

Millions demand cannabis and one way or another, that demand will be
honoured. Cannabis will be cultivated and demand will increase rather
than decrease.

Except for those who profit, nearly every person who uses cannabis
would prefer to acquire it from regulated sources, but will purchase
it in the black market if necessary.

It's just a matter of who consumers give their money to. Right now,
consumers are ready, willing, able and eager to give it to regulated
sources along with its share of taxes to government.

But government doesn't want it. The money is changing hands either
way.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.