CANADA'S DRUG POLICY OUT OF TOUCH WITH TIMES

I agree completely with the letter from Dave Cursons of Cawston. A
recent Western News editorial said it most clearly: "Crime stance
brings benefits to criminals". Previous to that, Gwynne Dyer called
for a ceasefire. Even the smarmy Tom Elliot is no monger for the
so-called "War on Drugs ". We should applaud the Western News for
spreading this social enlightenment. Sad to think: Canada's staunch
leader repeats the same old American talking points. "Not on my
watch," says the warlike Harper, as if there's nothing more to say.

People who are against decriminalization should not be trusted. They
are ill-informed, or they are gaming the status quo. Eighty per cent
of so-called "illegal drug use" is about cannabis. But with
asset-forfeiture being so profitable, don't expect fairness and
reason to prevail soon.

People who don't enjoy cannabis don't question the legislation. Why
would they? The people who do keep their heads down. History shows:
the most beneficent plant in God's-green creation is persecuted,
again and again, for very suspicious reasons. Hemp would feed us,
clothe us; it could fuel our homes and cars, heal countless ills, but
nefarious government forces continue to lie about its useful goodness. Why?

Many upstanding and responsible citizens appreciate the salubrious
effects of cannabis; they include doctors, lawyers, skateboard
enthusiasts, mothers with PMS, politicians and all the best jazz
bands. Do cops not know? Some say that after a long, hard day, it is
a fine and harmless way to empty one's inner recycle bin.

Others say: Yes, but grow-ops do terrible damage to property. OK,
it's property crime, under common-law, maybe. Why hurt families,
neighbourhoods and communities so violently, if not for profit and
plunder? Current legislation disturbs a lot more peace than it
protects, and the money saved not chasing after innocents would pay
everybody's restitution, tenfold.

We should celebrate our B.C. bud. It is as famous as our VQA wine
throughout the world. Who are these ogres who heckle the many glad
tidings of marijuana?

Look at the gang violence in Mexico that's headed this way. Then,
look at Holland. The Dutch never kowtowed to the American model.
Canada should stop doing so. In Portugal, they've decriminalized all
their substance-abuse problems, thereby transforming them into
medical problems. Now, drug use is not so romantic, not so cool: "Do
you want to get stoned?" sounds like, "Do you want to get sick?" to
the peace-loving Portuguese, who are very well-respected on the world
stage, and/or the UN Security Council, where Canada is not so much.

Geoff Burton

Penticton