Letter Of The Day

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

So Matthew Elrod believes I haven't done my homework with respect to the
international conventions on pot ("Letters to the Editor," Oct. 24). While
he admits international treaties require signatory countries to criminalize
the possession of illicit drugs, he argues the treaties only mandate
criminal penalties for possession for the purpose of trafficking. He also
suggests that the International Narcotics Control Board believes that none
of the conventions force governments to convict or punish people who use
illegal drugs. What utter nonsense.

Perhaps it is Mr. Elrod who should do his own homework a little better. In
particular, I refer him to Article 36 of the Single Convention on Narcotic
Drugs, 1961 of which Canada is a signatory. It states that "each Party
shall adopt measures as will ensure that cultivation, production,
manufacture, extraction, preparation, possession, offering for sale,
delivery on any terms whatsoever ... importation and exportation of drugs
contrary to the provisions of this Convention ... shall be punishable
offences when committed intentionally, and that serious offences shall be
liable to adequate punishment particularly by imprisonment or other
penalties of deprivation of liberty."

This article does not think very much of a small fine for marijuana
possession. Neither do I, and neither do many Canadians.

Dan McTeague, MP

Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge

(Considering how many other treaty signatories have decriminalized
possession, we don't see how Elrod's main point is contradicted)