REDUCE VIOLENCE

Re: 'Officer, I'd Like to Report Some Stolen Marijuana,' July 19.

Here in the United States, our citizens ironically contribute to the
violence we fear in an effort to combat the violence we fear. I applaud
Canadians for taking the sensible step of providing recourse for citizens
who have been victims of armed robbery.

As a patient who has needed medical marijuana, I've run across a few
unscrupulous vendors who were more than willing to provide a product they
knew to be worthless. I've also had friends who've come home to find their
houses in disarray, and their medicine stolen, but they had no legal means
to recover their substantial loss.

The frustration that accompanies having been victimized, yet unable to
recover the loss -- or even to keep others from becoming victims -- by
demanding the criminal be held accountable for his actions, is the only
potential for violence I've ever witnessed with regard to cannabis.

As a society, we can choose to leave these victims without the aid of law
enforcement and increase the potential for violent retaliation, or we can
reduce violence every chance we get. I'm encouraged to see our neighbours to
the north blazing the trail for us. Hopefully we'll learn from your example!

Erin Hildebrandt, Smithsburg, Md.