POSITION ON POT PUZZLING

Re: Marijuana problem, Nov. 25.

As a parent who advocates legally regulating cannabis, I am perplexed
by parents who blame cannabis for leading their children astray, but
who nonetheless staunchly defend the status quo.

Columnist Kelly Egan shared the account of a teen who began using
cannabis when he was 14 and soon became a daily user, joining the
three per cent of students who "may have" a cannabis "dependency."

Evidently, prohibition does not prevent teens from obtaining
cannabis, nor discourage them from using it.

The young man became "secretive about what he was doing." Cannabis
prohibition drives a wedge between parents and their children,
teachers and students, doctors and patients and the police and their
communities.

Soon the young man was dealing. Dealing cannabis is more lucrative
than flipping burgers. No boss, no taxes, no schedule, no skills
required, no questions asked.

Egan pointed out that, according to a large survey, about 46 per cent
of Grade 12 students in Ontario had used cannabis in the pre-ceding
year, but only 20 per cent had smoked cigarettes. Isn't this evidence
that our tobacco regulations are more effective than cannabis prohibition?

Perhaps if we had we legalized cannabis when a bipartisan senate
committee unanimously made that recommendation almost a decade ago,
the young man, (who thank-fully avoided being saddled with a criminal
record and seems back on track now), would not have taken up the habit.

Matthew M. Elrod, Victoria, B.C.