TIME TO END PROHIBITION: LEGALIZE POT, FREE UP SYSTEM

Dear Editor:

If the RCMP station in Duncan is "bursting at the seams" I have a
couple of suggestions that will relieve the problem. Short term,
station officers and their work at rural detachments that we are told
by the force itself are chronically understaffed. This will relieve
congestion in the main office and provide badly needed support for
community policing. There are certainly positions involved that could
telecommute from a nearby location like Lake Cowichan or Shawnigan.

Long term, end prohibition. The war on drugs has been a failure that
harms more citizens than it benefits, and it is high time (pun
intended) we addressed the problem of addiction in medical terms. Most
drug users are able to handle their pastime and deserve to have their
privacy respected as much as any other citizen; the ones who cannot
could come forward for assistance without fear of oppression.
Legalization would also reduce the prices, which would benefit us all
because the addict who still committed crimes to get drugs would steal
less.

Thus the crime rate would drop, allowing the officers to concentrate
on the remaining caseload.

The number of criminalized citizens would drop, requiring fewer
corrections personnel.

The huge stack of files pictured on your front page would be
significantly reduced and the constable could don his work uniform and
exercise his no doubt powerful skills of deduction on more important
infractions. The building in place would be adequate and our precious
tax dollars could be spent on other needs, such as schools, hospitals
and elitist sporting events.

There would be a downside. Legalization would put a great number of
bikers out of work, which might affect the island economy. Some
lawyers would see their caseloads reduced.

Perhaps some of the tax dollars generated from the legal growers and
retailers would be needed for severance packages and a period of retraining.

David Lowther

Mesachie Lake