WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY

It is very discouraging to read MP James Lunney's starkly personal
view on the regulation and legalization of marijuana (The News, Dec. 6).

What a travesty. Millions, if not billions of tax dollars spent on
police, judicial system and jails for the sole purpose of putting non
violent people in jail. What a waste of taxpayer money and what a
windfall for the large criminal syndicates earning billions of dollars
from the illegal sales of marijuana.

Lunney displays in spades what many believe, that our elected
officials are prepared to put their personal and political views and
the wellbeing of themselves ahead of the common good.

What good? How about the potential millions and billions of dollars
saved in policing and judicial system costs ... a judicial system that
regularly sees serious violent criminal offenders set free without
trial because of a court system that can't handle the current pending
trials load.

Getting off because of delays in going to trial is an everyday
occurrence and I suspect a major strategy for the legal profession.
And now, with tougher rules pending on marijuana possession, we're
going to have even more people jamming up our court system? Unbelievable.

The Conservative government's plan to toughen sentences for marijuana
possession and distribution and the consequential building of new
jails to handle additional inmates is the same trap the USA is mired
in and unable to get out of. Another big hit on the tax payer.

Think of the good that could be done with the millions of saved
dollars and the potential billions of dollars earned by a
government-controlled and regulated marijuana industry.

These are the monies that could better our health care, our education
system and help those less fortunate. Gambling, alcohol and smoking
are all highly regulated by government and a source of important taxes
dollars. Marijuana should be added to the list.

Gordon Browne

Qualicum Beach