GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TAKE MODERN APPROACH TO DRUG LAWS

To the editor,

Unknown to many Canadians, the minority Conservative government has
been pursuing a radical approach to drug policy through Bill C-15
which is now before the Senate.

This bill introduces mandatory minimum sentencing for various drug
crimes, such as nine months for possession of a single pot plant.
Mandatory sentencing has been proven through research and past
experience in many jurisdictions to be ineffective.

We need a modern approach to marijuana, indeed, to all drugs. It is
time, not just for the decriminalization of marijuana, but for the
legalization of marijuana. Governments are quite comfortable making
money through the sale of more harmful substances such as tobacco and
alcohol. Prohibition of marijuana has failed miserably, just as the
prohibition of alcohol failed.

Besides a wide variety of medical uses, marijuana is quite harmless -
especially when compared with alcohol. There is no real reason, apart
from a medieval mindset, that would lead one to support prohibition of
marijuana.

If we are truly concerned about crime, we would end prohibition and
the senseless persecution of innocent people who enjoy the use of
marijuana. By ending prohibition, we would end criminal control over
the drug market. We would be cutting off a major source of funding
for criminal organizations. Marijuana and other forbidden drugs should
be regulated and monitored for safety. We could direct this wasted
money, which is spent on often already bloated police budgets, to
worthwhile investments in areas such as education or public health, or
fighting real crimes.

There is general agreement among experts and thinking politicians from
all political parties that we need a new and sensible drug strategy.
This is an issue that we should raise with our members of Parliament
and our Senators. Stop Bill C-15, end the war on drugs, end
prohibition!

Mark Hamilton

Stellarton