DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA USE WILL HURT NATION

Re: The Liberals should scrap new marijuana law, Nov. 4.

How would the proposed legislation to decriminalize marijuana make
Canada a better country? This legislation is wrong and would have
significant negative consequences for individuals, our families, and
our economy.

As parents of six children, my wife and I have always taught our
children to avoid drugs. Our community, school and police awareness
programs have universally supported this position in our society.
Federal legislation that decriminalizes marijuana sends exactly the
opposite message to our children; it tells them that "maybe drugs
aren't all that bad." This is contrary to overwhelming evidence that
drugs have a lasting negative impact on our health, both physical and
emotional.

Health Canada rightly spends millions of dollars a year warning
Canadians about the dangers of smoking tobacco. If the Liberal
government goes ahead with decriminalizing or, in effect, condoning
the use of marijuana, it would be hypocritical for our minister of
health to ignore this serious smoking problem.

The United States buys 84 per cent of the goods and services we
produce, so our trade with that country is absolutely essential to our
nation. Yet U.S. officials have already indicated that passage of this
legislation will result in major changes and delays for goods,
services, and people crossing the border to the U.S.

Why is our government jeopardizing our health, our families and our
livelihood? Some in the Liberal party have implied that they're just
bringing the justice system in line with the general use of marijuana
in our country. Decriminalization is not the way to go since it will
just encourage and condone further use.

In the 1960s, there was a fairly widespread amount of drinking alcohol
and driving. Thank God, the politicians and legislators stood up and
said it was wrong and introduced legislation that severely cracked
down on the practice.

I urge our politicians and legislators to ask themselves the
fundamental question of how our country will be better off with this
legislation. I believe they will draw a blank.

Terry Hall,

Kanata