PERSECUTION BY POLICE, POLITICIANS MUST STOP

Editor: I am one of many non-users fed up with the persecution of
medical marijuana outlets by police, and the endorsemen of this by
local politicians.

Clients of medical distribution centres come with a prescription and
are referred by a doctor. Therefore, the police are subordinating a
legal medical health concern to an arcane statute that continues to
rob B.C. coffers of literally billions of dollars in untaxed revenue.

The ridiculous, outmoded fear behind it all was recently underscored
in an newspaper advertisement titled: "Get Paid to Grow Marijuana."
This UBC seminar covers topics such as complying with laws and
regulations for distribution for medical use.

Police and politicians should not get away with using the defence that
growers may get break-ins, etc., because that argument could then also
be made to shut down pharmacies or even banks, who also are
occasionally robbed for their wares.

In the land of uncommon sense, many peaceable, non-criminal, ordinary
citizens who enjoy an occasional smoke with friends, or know of it and
do not disapprove, remain motionless, while the best possible usage of
this natural herb is disallowed for those who need it most -- those
with difficult to treat medical conditions. This bigotry is
unacceptable.

In the future, any political party or politician who gets my vote will
have to speak to this untenable situation. Please find out and publish
how and where citizens who care about this can support a proposed
"clinic re-open" petition.

Eli Bryan Nelson

Langley City