LEGALIZING POT WON'T MAKE A DENT IN GANG VIOLENCE

Re: Pot prohibition will soon go the way of the dodo bird, Letters,
April 16 Letter writer Ian Tootill believes our highly publicized
gang violence is caused by marijuana being illegal. The recession and
gang problems will be solved, Tootill seems to believe, if we just
decriminalize marijuana.

The sad facts are enough to wake the long-gone dodo bird from its
grave! The spike in gang violence is a direct result of national and
international criminals setting up shop in B.C. because of our lax
laws and enforcement. These gangs use the province as a haven to run
pot factories to send cheap home-grown pot to foreign buyers.

Want to cut gang violence and help the economy? Start building more
jails and sentencing these criminals to long terms -- that's what I
think the vast majority of Canadians want.

Steven Feldman

Surrey