DRUGS: LIBERALS MISGUIDED

Dear Editor,

Dan Turner of the Young Liberals of Canada in B.C. is terribly
misguided if he thinks that the Federal Government's phony
decriminalization bill will do anything but up the stakes in the War
On Drugs [Justice calls for decriminalization, Jan. 14 Letters to the
Editor].

Part of what the Liberals actually like about this bill is that it
will draw more people into the criminal justice system. Instead of
handing out tens of thousands of busts every year, police will be able
to hand out millions of tickets. This will clog the courtrooms, and
likely fill our jails with "non payment of fines" offenders.

Does Mr. Turner think that is an improvement to the current situation,
and if so, how?

Furthermore, the bill proposes jailing someone for 14 years for
growing pot. Even people who commit armed robbery, aggravated assault,
and even incest will draw lesser sentences.

The higher risk of growing will make the street price of pot go up,
and will attract new people and new technology to the black market to
try their luck at the big money available in the pot-growing business.
Since everyone already knows that the police can barely catch 15 per
cent of the growers they actually know about, how will this new
legislation fix the problem?

Does Mr. Turner think that is an improvement to the current situation,
and if so, how?

As we should have learned by the failed alcohol prohibition of the
last century, and the decades of wasted money and time in the current
drug war, the only way to stop the black market is to legalize,
regulate, and tax the business like alcohol and tobacco. Anything
less, and that includes the Liberal's proposed legislation, would be
criminal.

Russell Barth

Ottawa