POLITICIANS AND POLICE CREATE A FALSE MORAL PANIC

Re "Message lost on foes of pipe plan," by Earl McRae (April 22):

While McRae was talking about the issue of crack, I couldn't help but
notice a subtle dig at marijuana at the end of the column. Everyone
knows the "gateway theory" about pot leading to harder drugs has been
discredited, and it's much better to someone with addictive traits
using something less harmful. (This would be the equivalent to coffee
and cigarettes at AA meetings.)

Similarly, because Health Canada licensed legal medical marijuana;
these stores sell legal products, as they are assistive devices for an
exemption scheme mandated by court orders.

By the way, I support the safer crack use kit program because I have
seen it work on the streets of Toronto and Vancouver. I notice a much
more dangerous crack culture in Ottawa.

Clean kits put addicts in touch with health care professionals who not
only give out the gear but also help support those that want to get
clean. And I prefer my messages from Canada Post, not opportunist
politicians and police creating a false moral panic.

Tim Meehan

Ottawa

(Earl is taking a dig at society's relaxed view of drug use in
general, not pot alone, we'd say)