PUT AN END TO ABUSE OF RIGHTS AT HEMPFEST

My wife and I were at Hempfest this past weekend - our seventh
Hempfest in a row. We missed the first two years, as this festival has
been running for nine years.

In all of those years there has never been a single problem at
Hempfest. We have never seen a fight, or even a loud argument since we
have been going.

This festival is the highlight of our year, where we get to catch up
with all our friends, and make new ones, while enjoying the beauty of
your area. We also spend lots of money in your local businesses, as do
the other 1,400 guests.

We were absolutely appalled by the actions of the local police force
this weekend. They abused the rights of everyone who didn't know what
their rights were.

The only criminals I saw all weekend were your local
police.

Our group has never done anything to justify the military-style
checkpoint that was set up.

Sure, cannabis is illegal, but let's put that law in perspective - in
the 8,000-plus years of its recorded use by our species there has
never been a single death from its use, and it has been widely used
throughout our history as a valuable medicine.

People in our country need to get licenses to be able to use it
legally as a medicine, which is ridiculous considering all the
benefits this plant has to offer and the complete lack of risks.

The reason this incredible plant is still illegal is the fact that it
would severely cut into their existing profits as users would no
longer need the poisons their companies produce.

Imagine how many people would still be alive today if they had used
cannabis for their arthritis instead of one of the COX2 inhibitor drugs.

Yes, cannabis is illegal and the police don't make the laws, they only
enforce them. But a little common sense goes a long way.

I agree with having a police presence on the road to deter drunk
driving, and we continually make announcements from the stage telling
people not to drive drunk.

But setting up a mobile command unit and about 30 officers for five
days to harass people for using a plant that has no known toxic level
is ludicrous.

Put a couple hundred drunks in a beer tent or a local bar for a night
and see what happens, even with a visible police presence.

We had 1,400 people living together for four days without a single
issue.

Maybe the police should tell us how much of our taxes they spent
harassing this group of peaceful people.

I will be complaining to members of Parliament about this as well, and
I encourage others to do the same.

Cannabis used to be the most respected and widely used medicine on the
planet before American corporate greed made it illegal.

It is time for us to stand up and put an end to these unjust
laws.

If no one ever stood up against laws like this women would still not
be voting, and slavery would still exist.

It is time for us to use some common sense and change these unjust
laws.

Derek Telasco,

Harrow, Ont.