LET PEOPLE CHOOSE WHAT THEY USE

Re: "Find a cure for pot epidemic," March 17.

A "harmless joint" is not the cause of kids ending up on the streets
addicted to hard drugs. There are many reasons people start using and
abusing drugs, but ask most addicts how they ended up where they are, and
they will give you myriad reasons: abuse at home or school, poverty,
boredom, mental illness, hanging with the wrong friends, and much more.

For every person who ends up with a drug problem, there are probably 50 who
smoke pot and live everyday lives.

"Legalizers" are not in it because they crave anarchy. As one who believes
the only sensible answer is to legalize and regulate, the reason I believe
so is that our draconian laws do nothing to stop someone from taking drugs,
let alone help those who wish a "cure" for their "disease" (how many other
diseases are illegal?). Do harsher laws work? Just take a look at the U.S.
for your answer!

If you believe at all in a free society, we have to allow people to make
choices about what goes into their bodies for themselves, even if we don't
agree with them.

The only real solution is to remove the taboo surrounding drugs, give
people as much accurate information as possible, let them make their own
decisions (as happens anyway), and have a proper way to help those people
who seek treatment.

Enough lives have been cost. Enough people are in jail. We have beaten the
dead horse of prohibition long enough.

Daniel Tourigny,

Victoria.