POT THINKING BACKWARDS

Re: Busts of grow ops just drop in bucket (Bob Holliday, Oct. 22).

I find it hard to believe that police union president Lorne Schinkel can
believe his own BS! Putting people in jail for growing a "weed" is
draconian and just backward thinking. Does anyone have any idea the costs
involved with incarceration? While murderers and rapists are given a slap
on the wrist, people who grow pot should be in jail for 10 years?

If the government were serious in any way about cannabis growing, they
would legalize the plant and charge a licencing fee to any who wish to grow
for their personal use only, of course setting a reasonable limit to the
number of plants per person per season. They would also produce, package,
tax and control public sales to adults, just like tobacco and alcohol.

Drop the stigma and allow those of us who suffer chronic pain to grow and
use cannabis in the responsible manner that we do, so we can smile rather
than grimace.

T. Cook
Winnipeg