Need to Re-Examine Our Drug Laws and Priorities

Re: 4 Mounties slain, March 4.

Four young Mounties are the newest victims of Canada's drug policy and
the prohibition of safer drugs like marijuana. In an effort to bust a
marijuana growing operation, we lost four precious lives. This tragedy
demands that we re-examine our drug laws and our priorities.

For years it seems we have followed the U.S. in their drug laws and
prohibition, many of which are laws with a sad history of hysteria,
racism and ill-informed decisions. It's time we put stereotypes aside,
apply real science and medicine (rather than fraudulent "studies" used
for propaganda) and revamp our drug laws. Specifically, we should
concentrate our efforts first on marijuana, a substance arguably safer
than alcohol and tobacco consumption.

If the government was controlling the production and distribution of
marijuana, like it probably should have been, organized crime would
have little reason to continue distribution of it, nor would our
Mounties be placed in senseless situations like this most recent tragedy.

Jeffery Raaphorst, Mississauga