STOP USING THE RCMP OFFICERS AS PAWNS

As the daughter, grand-daughter, niece and cousin of RCMP members, my heart
goes out to the families of the recently slain Royal Canadian Mounted
Police officers in Alberta.

As a Registered Nurse, who has been a member of the B.C Compassion Club
Society since it's founding, this recent incident also begs some serious
questions.

In the days of alcohol prohibition, how many law enforcement officers were
sacrificed in the line of duty until alcohol was decriminalized so decent
law-abiding folk could relax with a shot of Scotch at the end of the day or
take the odd brandy for (as Granny used to say) "medicinal purposes"?

Wasn't the criminal element taken out of the production and distribution of
alcohol when the government-sanctioned liquor distribution authorities took
it over?

When are we going to stop sacrificing our present-day law enforcement
personnel in order to chase the erroneous notion that marijuana usage is
going to be eliminated?

The more important issue at hand is the criminal marketing of marijuana.

It is time government takes definitive action to decriminalize marijuana
and stop using our RCMP members as pawns in a political game.

Liz Stonard

Coombs