LEGALIZING POT MAKES SENSE

I agree with Justice Minister Rob Nicholson that marijuana is being
used as "currency" to bring harder drugs into the province
("Minister: Pot used as currency in drug world," April 23) but I
don't see how this is an argument for mandatory prison sentences --
rather, it's another reason to decriminalize pot.

If pot manufacturing and distribution was done legitimately it would
be a serious blow to organized crime, which would no longer have that
cash crop. Many otherwise law-abiding Canadians are forced to engage
with a criminal class because they choose to use pot, a fairly benign
drug compared to nicotine and alcohol. Do we really need to throw
Canadians in prison for smoking a joint?

Ted Child

Victoria