LEGAL DRUGS FAR MORE PAINFUL THAN ILLEGAL ONES

Re: Dealers just like terrorists, Letters, Feb. 1.

Mr. Johnson misses the point entirely. Like most individuals with
similar tunnel vision, his anger is misdirected at marijuana, instead
of at the drug trade, or personal freedoms, or our rights as Canadians.

It is our government, and the hypocritical laws of our country, which
allow alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and other "processed" drugs to be
trafficked and "dealt," [calling it legal] while spending billions to
incarcerate individuals for trying to use a naturally growing herb in
exactly the same manner.

I, in no way mean to promote or endorse marijuana use, but marijuana
is not some kind of manufactured chemical like alcohol and cigarettes,
but a plant which grows free in soil, people simply dry it and smoke
it.

Personally, I don't use it, but that is not the point. The point is it
is not my choice to make for everyone else. People should be allowed
to make that decision, not the government. The choices made by
government are time and time again proven to be generally wrong.

Here's a proposition.

I say let's all put our money where our mouths are. Lets be fair, if
we are to take the approach that you and others suggest, and wage a
war on drugs, let's make all the recreational drugs illegal. You knew
they were drugs didn't you? Alcohol. Cigarettes. Even coffee. I'm
willing to go along with that proposal 150 per cent. Are you? The
government certainly won't.

The government, [or to be fair, organized crime,] makes too much money
on drugs, and they are not willing to give up their jobs as pushers.

Read all the crap you want. Alcohol and cigarettes are at least as
harmful as pot [I say more because they are manufactured, and contain
added chemicals], and we are allowed to use those drugs regularly with
no criminal records, fines, or social stigma.

Think of the billions we would save on accident insurance alone if
alcohol was criminalized.

Think of the billions we would save on health care and hospital beds
if cigarettes were criminalized.

Maybe if decriminalization of marijuana is not an option,
"criminalization" of other drugs is.

Mr. Johnson states "The most common argument for legalization, is that
it would put organized criminals [as opposed to tobacco companies and
distilleries for example] out of business, and generate gobs of profit
for the government" [like taxes of 300 per cent on alcohol and 400 per
cent on tobacco for example]

Hmm, wait a minute, that system sounds familiar.

I can guarentee you many hundreds of thousands more individuals lose
their lives every year from the effects of alcohol and tobacco than in
10 years worth of marijuana related deaths, even counting organized
crime related deaths, and random paranoia related deaths.

The issues here are human rights, and fairness and equality of law.
You suggest we give "Gestapo-style" authority to police. Move to
Russia or China and experience that instead of trying to bring it here.

Take off the blinders and see the problem, not the
propaganda.

Mark Brown, Chilliwack