U.S. WON'T CHANCE SLOWING BORDER TRAFFIC FOR POT LAW

Your recent editorial, Pot Law: The Border Factor, came to the right
conclusion that legalizing marijuana is the best option, after winding
through some significant inaccuracies. As a Detroiter, I know first-hand
the volume of border traffic and the economic ramifications that flow from
slowdowns at the border.

And those costs are exactly why the U.S. would never tighten the border
just because Canada decriminalizes possession of small amounts of pot.
There is a reason that the only U.S. government official weighing in on
this issue is Paul Cellucci, someone with no voice in administration policy
and no clout in Washington, D.C.

The Bush regime is heavily backed and supported by big business. Those
business interests will not tolerate significant economic losses just
because Canada mildly reforms its pot laws. Mr. Cellucci's threats are
empty and should be ignored.

As for the remainder of the editorial, you are absolutely correct that the
planned reforms make little sense. Waiting for the U.S. to agree to a
continent-wide legalization policy, however, is not the answer.

Canada must lead by example and that means taking baby steps toward
legalization, such as implementing the Liberal's plan, however flawed.

When pot is decriminalized and the sky doesn't fall, maybe Canada can take
the next logical step, legalization, regulation and taxation of this
relatively harmless plant.

Kirk Tousaw

Detroit, Mich.