LEGALIZE, REGULATE MARIJUANA SALES

Dear Editor - Articles such as Tom Ford's plea for adequate law enforcement
in connection with the planned decriminalization of marijuana "Stop the pot
grow operators" (The Guelph Mercury, Sept. 16) underscore just how
half-baked the entire idea of decriminalization is.

Rather than cowing to the pressure of the United States government, Canada
should be putting pressure on the United States to reduce the demand for
black market marijuana. And, of course, the only way that will happen is
when North America comes to its collective senses and legalizes and
regulates the sale of this plant which no one on the continent has any
problem procuring anyway.

As a by-product of such a regime, expect to see increased respect for the
rule of law and law enforcement officers and a decrease in the ready
availability of marijuana to adolescents. Or are these policy objectives
undesirable?

Thomas J. Hillgardner

Jamaica, N.Y.