A WORKABLE SOLUTION ON MARIJUANA

Using fines to punish simple marijuana possession is far more workable than
the current system. During the summer, I volunteer for our community's park
patrol. It is not uncommon to find young people and even adults smoking
marijuana in our parks. When we radio it into the police, they are slow to
reply. The police's off-the-record reply is that they view this as a minor
crime that's not worth the paperwork or giving young people criminal
records. So while we might have a law on the books, it is not enforced.

Having the police issue fines of $100 and more will prove more effective,
because they are more likely to issue the tickets. This will take money out
of the young person's pocket, leaving less cash to smoke up. I'm told you
can buy a quick high of pot for $10, which most young people can afford or
can borrow from their parents without raising any eyebrows. Far fewer of
them can afford $100 fines or borrow $100 from their parents without facing
a few questions.

More fine-tuning is needed on the law as regards driving under the
influence of marijuana, and maybe the possession limit should be lowered to
10 grams from 15, but I think that overall this is a fair, workable and
needed update of the present law.

Kevin Erskine-Henry, Greenfield Park