FACTS ON DOPE

In "The myth of a peaceful, pot-legalized world" (March 19), columnist
Laurent Le Pierres mentions Prime Minister Stephen Harper's claim that
"the reason drugs are illegal is because they are bad."

Undisclosed in the column are the facts. Drug use was criminalized in
Canada on the grounds that poverty, prostitution, alcohol and drug
abuse were caused by immigrants of colour. In the United States, Harry
Anslinger successfully convinced Congress that marijuana caused white
women to seek relations with negroes.

Despite changes in the law based on such compelling testimony, both
countries have seen an exponential increase in marijuana
consumption.

Even though marijuana's active ingredients have long been proven to
possess neuro-protective, anti-carcinogenic, pain- and
stress-relieving properties, many hundreds of thousands of North
Americans die using legal, dangerous alternatives. And just as with
pot prohibition, prohibitively high tobacco taxes are clearly
associated with the proliferation of contraband cigarettes.

That's the substance of the illegal substance debate. Talk about
dope.

Jose Melendez,

Communications Director,

Mutually Opposing Marijuana Prohibition, Washington, D.C.