'AS CLEAR AS SMOKE'

Dear Editor:

Should marijuana be legalized? Independent candidate Brent Bush thinks
so. The April 3 Golden Scoop quotes him as saying: "I support
decriminalization. I think the so-called 'war on drugs' is actually
creating and accelerating the violence within organized crime circles
because it drives up the price.

If marijuana were deregulated it would allow people to grow small
amounts for personal use, the market price for local product would go
down, and the profit motive of it would be eliminated. There would be
no reason for organized crime to be in that business anymore. The same
thing happened with alcohol during the prohibition; it turned out to
be a disastrous failure."

The Conservative Party, in the midst of their National Anti - Drug
Strategy, have no intention of legalizing the contentious weed.
Candidate David Wilks publicly shares his views of the danger of
marijuana as a gateway drug.

Now it gets murky. In 2003 the Liberals under then Prime Minister
Martin introduced a decriminalization bill, which was not passed. Last
September current Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said his party
would reintroduce legislation to "decriminalize" small amounts of
marijuana for recreational use but otherwise he appears to oppose
legalization. It appears the NDP previously supported the legalization
of cannabis until current leader Jack Layton reversed his position on
the issue on March 16, 2009.

Prior to this, he had been highly in favour of legalization and was
even interviewed in Marc Emery's home, praising marijuana as a
"wonderful substance". I do not know the issue position of current NDP
(former Liberal) candidate Mark Shmigelsky. It might be: the former
position of his former party; the current position of his former
party; the former position of his current party; the current position
of his current party; or none of the above.

Any clarification Mark?

Dale Shudra

Radium Hot Springs