FUTILE REMEDY FOR POT PROBLEM

Dear Editor - I read your article, "Stop the pot grow operators" (The
Guelph Mercury, Sept. 16) about the indoor grow operations .

It is childish to think that adding money to law enforcement budgets
will do anything to reduce the number of indoor marijuana grows in the
city. The reason for this is that prohibition increases risk in the
trade (and subsequently the value of the plant) so much that it will
always be profitable to grow it concealed within homes.

The correct way to deal with the problem is to end the prohibition
thus allowing legitimate business to take over the trade and grow the
marijuana on outdoor plantations.

I know at least 50 people who smoke marijuana, and each one of them
knows another 50. Together we all make up the two million Canadians
who enjoy smoking marijuana, and we will continue to demand that
someone supply our herb.

If the government will not allow us to buy it from legitimate business
people trying to make an honest living, then we will remain forced to
buy it from syndicates and gangs.

Chris Hagglund