ENLIGHTENMENT NEEDED FOR THE MARIJUANA LAWS HERE

The Canadian Senate produced a well thought out position paper on cannabis
in 2002 recommending, among other proposals, an easing of restrictions on
personal use by responsible adults.

Considering that the restrictions were originally imposed without
parliamentary debate, in an atmosphere poisoned by the "reefer madness"
propaganda of writers such as "Janey Canuck" (a pseudonym of Emily Murphy
who, in a more enlightened frame of mind, helped ensure the rights of
women as "persons" under the law with respect to the right to vote), I
think it's high time to implement some of these reforms.

In his fascinating book Food of the Gods, Terence McKenna recommends that
"The legality of nature must be recognized," favouring a return to a model
of partnership with the natural world, rather than one of domination over
it. Two excellent Canadian books on the subject are Grow Yer Own Ston'e by
Alexander Sumach (hard to find), and Romancing Mary Jane by Michael Poole
(no relation).

As to the suggestion that many people on the street began their downward
spiral with marijuana, I would ask whether most began their descent with
alcohol or tobacco. If we as a society can accommodate the use of these
two drugs, then cannabis should be recognized as well.

As the Rastafarians say, using the Indian term for marijuana, "God made
ganja. Man made liquor. Who are you going to trust?"

Ian Poole

Nanaimo