DON'T STALL POT LAW

Re: Big-business lobby urges delay in easing marijuana laws, Nov. 22.

The federal government's proposal to decriminalize marijuana would
benefit many Canadians. Removing criminal penalties for possession of
15 grams or less of marijuana and hashish would help many Canadians
avoid the stigma of a criminal record. But with the Canadian Council
of Chief Executives trying to delay passage of this bill, some
Canadians are going to suffer from fines or jail terms because of
minor possession. Research into the effects that marijuana use has on
employee performance would add insight into the issue, but this is not
a useful enough reason to delay decriminalization. Most people
understand that going to work while impaired is unsafe and leads to
poor workmanship. More effort should be spent on decriminalizing
marijuana and less on researching how it affects the economy.

Ewan Perrott, 17,

Ottawa