CANADA ISN'T THE PROBLEM

I think we have heard this tune from officials from the United States
before. Have we not? And, does any Canadian truly believe our DEA has the
power to trump our commercial interests, that we would damage our economy
over a trickle of marijuana from Canada when we are being relatively
flooded from Mexico, and from within our own borders, with ample supplies
of marijuana?

I quote the RCMP: "To put things in perspective, it is estimated that
approximately three tons of Canadian marijuana are seized each year in the
United States, while the exports from Mexico alone total thousands of tons
annually. During the first half of 1999 alone, U.S. Customs intercepted 547
tons of marijuana being smuggled into the country from Mexico. The U.S. are
basically their own main source of marijuana."

In fact, were this genuine concern being expressed, you would think the
border would already be shut down to the flood of soft drugs, hard drugs,
and guns the United States sends on into Canada.

What drug warriors fear are tolerant attitudes and productive examples of
alternative drug policies. Not to mention their increasing isolation in the
world as regards the notion that arresting and caging marijuana users is a
good thing.

I would not take what our ambassador to your country says at face value.

Matthew Hulett, Brick, N.J.

(Here's a Canuck on our 'tolerant' policy ...)