DRUG POLICY MEANS MORE IN PRISONS

It is difficult for me to believe that our government is attempting
to introduce mandatory sentencing for harmless drug related offenses in Canada.

This is an uninformed and backward proposal.

The use of marijuana is no more dangerous than the use of alcohol,
and the proposed punitive measures will do nothing to stop drug related crime.

In the first place, the use of drugs is a public health issue, not a
criminal issue.

Most countries are coming to see the wisdom of this approach, but
apparently this doesn't include our backward Conservative government.

In the second place, if we have criminal problems, we should address
the root causes, not take a futile and heavy handed approach to
dealing with it.

If we decriminalize the use of drugs, we will reduce the crime
associated with illegal drugs.

I do not use drugs, but I am actively campaigning against a
government that advances such myopic and uniformed policies.

If you want to see where these policies lead, look at the United
States, with over two million people in prison, many for non-violent
drug related offenses.

No one wants this situation in Canada.

Andrew Brown

Qualicum Beach