VOICES: GONE TO POT!

The federal government wants to decriminalize the use of marijuana because
the current law is unenforceable, but wants to get tough on growers and
dealers. We asked your opinion and here's what you had to say:

You've got a Prime Minister still living in the 60's. Why shouldn't the
rest of you? -Rob Clark, Sarasota, Fl., June 2

I'm glad that Parliament finally had the guts to pass this long overdue
bill. I don't understand the reason behind imprisoning people for
victimless crimes. Sure, smoking pot isn't exactly healthy for you, but
neither is tobacco, fatty foods, gasoline - not even the radiation from
your computer monitor. -Natasha St. Amand, Toronto, May 2

People are smoking marijuana everywhere you go. Laws are supposed to evolve
with external conditions in society. -Ryan Boon, Toronto, June 2

I agree with many who believe that the government should regulate and treat
marijuana like alcohol and tobacco. I just really hope that certain
American drug czars don't persuade Bush and the Gang to screw things up in
Canada, whether it be border crossing crackdowns, trade or anything else.
- -Tarren Katz, Toronto, June 2

Do your research people! Get out there and learn what you are talking about
before you try to argue that this is bad. Stop being hypocritical! Put down
your beer that is giving you liver disease! Put down your potato chips that
are raising your cholesterol! Get your butt off your couch before you start
complaining about all the "harm" that is going to come. -Amber Pennington,
Toronto, June 2

Seventeen years ago when I came here, pot was prevalent. Thanks to
America's war on drugs, their marijuana eradication program, and employee
drug testing, pot is now scarce and the price is inflated (one ounce of pot
is more expensive than an ounce of gold). We now have the worst
methamphetamine (ice) abuse in the U.S. Along with that we also have the
highest crime in the U.S. If this is the price society has to pay to
control marijuana then it's definitely way too high a price! -Laurie
Kenney, Kauai, Hawaii, June 2

If decriminalization goes through, and I hope it does, it will NOT cause
more people to smoke pot. Look at the situation in Amsterdam. As many
people smoke there as in Canada (in fact, I have read studies which claim
LESS smokers there). We need to look at how decriminalization has affected
their society, and realize that it is in fact, a very smart idea. One
reader against decriminalization mentioned that "producers will have a
market to supply to." Newsflash: That market is alive and thriving,
millions of people from doctors to artists enjoy smoking cannabis products.
This market isn't going to change just because it's now a ticket instead of
jail time. In the minds of smokers, it's already not a crime to light up a
joint. -Max Breslow, Toronto, May 29

This is nothing more than a cash grab. The police will now issue tickets in
a case where the presently do little, if anything, about. Marijuana is not
the demon weed it is made out to be. I have been smoking for 18 of my 32
years. About the only thing that has been adversely altered is ambition.
Marijuana is not a gateway drug--a person's environment and the people they
associate with are a determining factor moreso than anything else. -Bill
French, Kitchener, May 29

The bill that was introduced by Martin Cauchon brings us further down the
road of prohibition. Canada should establish a system for the legal control
and regulation of the production, sale and consumption of substances which
are currently illegal. -JR Villemaire, Ottawa, May 29

In my view, the Feds have created an opportunity for dealers and growers to
expand their market. Without the threat of a criminal record, I believe
more people will be willing to get in on the buzz. The penalties for simple
possession should be increased to deter the purchase. -Dennis Owen,
Richmond Hill, May 29

I do not agree with legal paternalism. I do agree with individual autonomy
and responsibility. Criminal record or not, the Canadian Government should
not be inventing consequences for engaging in a victimless activity. If the
inherent risks and consequences are agreeable to the user, then he or she
should be able to make that choice. Similarly, if a grower or merchant
sells only to adults seeking out this product, (and no harm befalls
innocent or unwilling parties) then any government intervention intended to
stop the transaction is a gross invasion of liberty; and a denial of our
predominantly capitalist/free-market economic policy. -Mike Cockram,
Kingston, May 29

Cigarettes, booze, fatty foods, and gasoline: legalized, regulated poisons,
each proven to be harmful to human health, but nonetheless available and
profitable. Most Canadians readily indulge in such poisons, even work hard
to get them. Yet most of us choose to ignore the inherent hypocrisy of
keeping a silly weed illegal because we're afraid an airplane pilot might
fly stoned? Where's the logic people? -Lee Rogers, Toronto, May 29

Why is it that the only people who seem to oppose the decriminalization of
marijuana are those who seem utterly ignorant of its effects. Alcohol is
legal. Teens are still not allowed to purchase it; in fact it remains
easier to purchase pot than booze. The effects are relatively similar. No
one is supposed to drink while intoxicated, whether it be pot, alcohol, or
any other number of stimulants. The new law isn't saying to people "it is
ok to get really high and then drive a car," just as the LCBO doesn't
encourage their customers to drink and drive. The fact of the matter
remains that many people enjoy relaxing after work with a glass of wine,
and others enjoy smoking a joint. If the glass of wine doesn't result in
jail time, then neither should the joint. -Jenny Millar, Toronto, May 29

The majority of the population that condemns the use of cannabis are
ignorant to the facts. Alcohol is by far more dangerous, yet it is legal.
When was the last time you heard of a violent incident or a fatal car crash
directly due to marijuana use? Marijuana is also less addictive than
nicotine, alcohol and many other prescription medications. It's about time
that we realize that prosecuting cannabis users is a waste of time and
resources. -Aaron Lo, Vancouver, May 28

I think decriminalizing pot will fly in the face of the U.S.'s no tolerance
policy and that makes me happy. I hope that somehow this wakes people up to
the fact that the war on drugs is actually a war on people. And if the
American Government has a problem with a sovereign neighbour forming its
own policies, if they decide to punish us by making us wait longer at the
borders, so be it! -John Giaccotto, Richmond Hill, May 28

It may not be legalization, but it's a step in the right direction. Kudos
to my fellow Canadians who realize a criminal charge for possession is as
ludicrous as America's WAR ON DRUGS. -Sunny Sambhara, Atlanta, May 28

My biggest fear and concern is that we all know how alcohol is legal and
how many impaired drivers are behind the wheel. Are we now going to have to
contend with drivers who are "high?" Human nature being what it is people
will definitely abuse the "privilege" -Al Pascal, Muskoka, May 28

When the State of New York decriminalized possession and private use of 25
grams or less of marijuana in 1976, here's what happened: Nothing bad. . .
. Marijuana availability remained unchanged, in fact some of the
bad-rebel-criminal aura wore off something that got you the equivalent of a
traffic ticket. . . . Instead of listening to the fools in Washington,
check out the New York experience. It has been good for almost everyone,
giving the legal system time to focus on real crime. - Al Traveller,
Lindenhurst, N.Y., May 28

This is a bad law, period. Marijuana is a hallucinatory drug. Would you
want your airline pilot on it? Your doctor? Guess what? We're going to have
many more cases of "driving while stoned" because there is no consequence.
A criminal record is a deterrent. A few-hundred-dollars fine is a joke. -
Adam Schweitzer, Markham., May 28

This debate misses a very strong point: right now, in Ontario, there is no
effective law for simple possession of marijuana. That means that I can
walk down Yonge St. smoking a joint (as many now do) and if I'm arrested, I
can almost guarantee that the case will be thrown out. Keep in mind that
the existing legislation has been ruled invalid, and cases are being thrown
out while we wait for the new legislation. . . . In effect, pot is already
"legal" as the real punishment is a moderate amount of harassment by a
police officer (which is unlikely if you are polite or discreet). If you
actually do get arrested, you would spend a day in court. No fine, no jail
time - just a minor inconvenience. - Will Langstroth, Toronto., May 28

Personally, I think it's a big mistake. I think it definitely sends a
message that weed is "OK" and that the producers will have a market to
supply to (and a young one at that as the fine is greatly reduced for
minors). The "no tolerance" for peddling around schools is a fantasy if
that's supposed to deter teens from getting high. - Alex Hobcraft,
Toronto., May 28

I see this whole thing heading towards a complete mess. While the Liberals
are fighting amongst themselves in Parliament, the Supreme Court is
scheduled to rule on whether marijuana laws are constitutional. If they
strike down Canada's pot laws before new ones are in place, we will end up
with complete legalization, and no regulation. Then, the Liberal bill will
become a step backwards, rather than forwards, and likely die on the floor
of the legislature. Now if Chretien scraps the decriminalization bill and
introduces a new one for legal, taxed marijuana (similar to alcohol or
tobacco), Canadians will by and large be happier, and richer. - Sam Rahimi,
Toronto., May 28

It's one huge mistake - a lifetime of teaching your kids not to get into
drugs only to have the parental efforts go down the drain because of an
irresponsible government. I can only imagine the prime minister and his
motley crew were all on drugs when they decided to allow this to pass into
law. - Michael Chezy, Orangeville., May 28

It's nice to see that after all the research that has been done with
cannabis that the government refuses to accept that cannabis isn't harmful,
that cannabis isn't a gateway drug. The government is lying to the people.
. . . Decriminalization is a farce and nothing more than a cash cow for the
government. - Robert Payne, Kitchener., May 28

The only thing wrong about the new plan for marijuana is that it should
have been implemented decades ago. Marijuana is not nearly as harmful as
alcohol or cigarettes, and is not a "gateway" drug as some of the
opposition would like people to believe. Anyone opposition that would just
sit down and read the cold hard scientific facts about marijuana would
realize this. For a student to be given a criminal record that stops him or
her getting into school or a decent job is the most ridiculous thing in the
world. - Nick Bajorek, Oakville., May 28

The only real answer [is ] the government must become Canada's number one
weed dealer. Grow houses dwindle to none. Profits go from criminals to the
people. Possession and distribution cases vanish from our court system. The
black market for marijuana drops to none. - Carl German, Oakville, May 28

About time. Next step? Legalization. - Marcus Stevenson, Toronto , May 28

Decriminalization is not the answer. Legalize it. Tax it. Control the
quality. - Harvey Ostroff, Vancouver, May 28

All this money spent on drinking and driving. Now pot is OK. How many drunk
drivers are really stoned drivers? I guess sniffing glue and gas will be OK
too because the current law is unenforceable. Totally unacceptable. - John
Grassl, Toronto, May 28

Pot laws are 'unenforceable' so we are making it easier to break the law?
Sorry, but you can't grow it or sell it but you can carry it? I'm missing
the logic of this. - J Scott, Toronto, May 28

It's about time our police force spends its valuable time on more important
things than busting people for small quantities of pot. - Brooke Grant,
Toronto, May 28

While pot may do some damage, it isn't going to ruin people's lives, it
won't cause our society to crumble, and it won't be the end of the world.
If we want to look at real health risks, let's look at all cars in the GTA
polluting the air we breathe. - Andrew Taylor, Mississauga, May 28

The law is a good start. All fines levied should be earmarked toward the
war on drugs and drug awareness for kids. It was wrong for someone,
especially a young person, to carry around a criminal record for such a
minor offence. - Fred Ziffle, Toronto, May 28

It is about time. Like anything else, moderation is key. Pot is no worse
for you than drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or eating too much
McDonald's. I admire your courage to take a stand and hope that other
countries will follow. - Megan Macklin, Boston