MARIJUANA PROHIBITION HASN'T WORKED

To the editor:

Kelowna RCMP Supt. Bill McKinnon recently held a press conference in
which he expressed frustration with the sentencing of people involved
in marijuana production operations (Kelowna Captial News, June 8).

The timing of this media briefing was interesting; legislation
regarding mandatory minimum sentences for grow-ops is currently before
Parliament.

Like Supt. McKinnon, I am a police officer in British Columbia. I
express my views on drug policy while off-duty and out of uniform by
volunteering with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

LEAP is a group of current and former criminal justice professionals
who understand that drug prohibition is a public policy failure.

We don't support or encourage drug abuse, nor breaking the law. We
simply believe that regulating and controlling drugs would be more
ethical and less harmful than prohibition.

While it is easy to criticize the judiciary-judges are professionally
bound to ignore such comments-it would be more difficult for a senior
police executive to explain the benefits of prohibition.

What is so wonderful about this policy that justifies the black market
violence and the criminalization of millions of Canadians?

David Bratzer,

Victoria