FOOLISH DRUG WAR

Obviously, J. Reynolds doesn't like marijuana ("Kudos to cops for drug
war," Nov. 23).

Well, Mr. Reynolds, there are two million Canadians that do, and we're not
going to stop buying it.

Either we get legal marijuana so we can regulate the business and make sure
that pot has age and quality controls placed on it, or we can keep the
business prohibited and squarely in the hands of organized criminals.

If we had kept alcohol prohibited, we'd have kids going blind every day
from tainted alcohol.

The message our kids get right now about pot is pretty clear: "It's
available in every high school and totally harmless," at least that's what
they hear from their peers and that is the environment that the current
laws create.

I'm more inclined to send a message like "It's OK for adults to use
responsibly and there are definite health risks," but no one has the
courage to tell them that or to instate laws that back that message up.

Well, I do, and that's what I tell my kids, but shame on J. Reynolds for
promoting ignorance and complacency in this foolish drug war that puts our
kids at risk.

Chris Hagglund, Technology Director, Ontario Consumers for Safe Access to
Recreational Cannabis