READERS SMOKED BY POT AND POLITICS

E-Mails Focus On 'Freakin' Plant'

WEED IT & WEEP: "I respect your decision not to smoke pot," e-mails Dave,
who definitely does. "If only I could find somebody to respect my choice not
to drink martinis. I don't know whether to bash my head against a wall or
bug my doctor for Prozac."

Dozens of readers jumped in to howl at Ottawa's cock-eyed pot reform plan, a
dazzling initiative to regulate a freakin' plant.

"Anyone who's ever been busted with 15 grams of pot or less was either
extremely unlucky or careless, cavalier or stupid," Jason believes.

"The pot bill will only waste a quarter-billion dollars, raise the price of
marijuana and tie the courts up for years-to-come with hoards of the
so-called 'enlightened' folk whose aim will be to turn Canada into some kind
of low-rent Amsterdam." Hey, who doesn't like lower rents?

OREO NATION: "Maybe Ottawa hasn't finished buying up controlling stock in
enough munchie manufacturers to fully legalize pot yet," Derek suggests.
"But when they do: A Bong Tax? Aquafuge Paper Tariff? Pipe Bonds?" Whatever
they call it, the seller will add GST.

GOING TO POT: "I haven't smoked a joint in 25 years because I don't want
to," reports Tat. "If it were legal, I'd feel the same. Let's see a little
leadership and knock out those laws now." And from J.F: "Many say legalize
pot, then tax it. Amusingly enough, in a purely Canadian solution, they've
managed to come up with a plan to tax it -- fine us for having it -- and
still keep it illegal! The best of both worlds! They used to pay court costs
to prosecute/persecute us. Now they make money off us for the same
activity."

SALT'S BAD TOO: "Okay, so marijuana is a plant," argues Patrick C. "Cocaine
and heroin also come from plants. Are you suggesting we give up our
interdiction of those drugs? If not, where do you draw the line? Do you
really think organized crime will go away if the government gets into the
pot business? They'll undercut official prices while pushers use lax
regulations to get kids to start using harder drugs. That is why addicts
typically admit that they started with pot before going on to harder drugs."
But narcotics, opiates, prescription mood-enhancers are sold at corner drug
stores. Why isn't pot? And for the record, I believe salt and pepper are
Gateway Spices. Most recreational weed users used them before they ever lit
up. Gambling addicts and drunk drivers, too.

STONER CENTRAL: "Our politicians are so detached from reality," Gord
believes, "that they might consider, rather than a tax cut or whatever, just
sending a case of whatever it is they drink/smoke/lick/shoot to everyone in
Canada. That way everyone -- even for a short while -- could see things as
they do." You think they'd ever share their stash? Hah!

HOME GROWN: "What a travesty our new pot policy is," e-mails Stu. "My wife
fought six years to use marijuana to control her epilepsy, then another to
conform to Health Canada's inane regulations. After receiving a medical
exemption, we were 'free' to go funnel our hard-earned cash to unscrupulous
dealers and organized crime. As of last December, we supplied the
underground to the tune of $100,000 for the only medicine that truly
controls her seizures. Now we're supposed to grow it ourselves, very
reluctantly due to security concerns. Nevertheless, forward we go. Two weeks
ago, we awoke to find four armed goons climbing in our window (in search of
the harvest) ... I sleep with one eye open, furious at (health minister)
Anne McLellan, who I hold responsible for this assault ..." I bet she sleeps
better.

DRUG THAT KID: "I am disgusted about our laws pertaining to medical use,"
offers Zen. "I have observed friends and family dying of cancer ...
Withholding a plant from ill people is wrong, particularly when you consider
what legal drugs do to the minds of many of our citizens today. Need I
mention drugging kids with Ritalin as symptom of a real problem in society?"
Curious: A thoroughly drug-centred society pops pills to alter every ache,
attention span and unhappiness yet tags pot as some sinister source of all
evil. Discuss.

SMOKIN'... "Don't grow it but having it on you is OK?" asks John S. "The
idiots in Ottawa must be high all the time to come up with their stupid
idea. There are more serious things that need attention in this land." ...
"They ain't gonna find growers any better with this legislation," Stuart
believes. "The sooner the stuff is legalized, the sooner the bike gangs and
overseas terrorist groups will lose revenue."