UP IN SMOKE

Ottawa - Re Seedy Situation (letter -- March 10): For those who are
interested, "420" is not an "undefined" code word, it has been clearly
defined. It originated with a group of students at San Rafael High School
in California who, in 1971, would meet at 4:20 p.m. at the campus statue of
Louis Pasteur to smoke pot together. The term caught on, and the rest is
history.

But Michael O'Brien's notion that the "42,000,000 joints" reference is some
sort of RCMP "joke" is preposterous.

First off, the horsemen have proved that they have no sense of humour,
especially when it comes to marijuana. Second, judging by their record over
the years, I doubt the Mounties are clever enough to figure out the 420 joke.

After all, in the case in question, it took them 14 months to bust a
business that was operating publicly for years and was about as difficult
to track down as a Tim Hortons.

RUSSELL BARTH , Federal Medical Marijuana License Holder