SOCIETY AND LAW SELDOM SEE EYE-TO-EYE

Editor, The Record:

I will agree that marijuana users are neither scum nor deviants.

No, they are just stupid for willingly putting 5,000 chemical compounds
into their lungs and somehow convince themselves that it is good for them.
But any comparisons to the local grow-ops to the honourable profession of
"dirt farmers" have to be seen as more spin-doctoring than the provincial
government has shown itself capable of lately. A "dirt farmer" provides
the basic necessity of life, food. The local grow-ops only provide the
means with which to hide from life.

Even with all the known health and societal problems associated with the
use of marijuana, if someone wants to grow a few plants on the kitchen
window for their own use I probably don't have a problem with that.

But what I don't support is any idea that somehow the local grow-ops are
providing a service to our community. That somehow just because huge
amounts of money are being brought into the community, or at least into the
hands of a select few, that all the damage it causes is somehow not important.

I am not supportive of the current push by an aged lame duck prime minister
to soften the penalties for possession of pot. I am against his plan to
make simple possession a lesser crime in the eyes of the law. Society and
the law seldom see eye-to-eye at the best of times.

I am against it because it makes the use of pot appear less harmful.

There is very little I like about the United States but I look across the
border and see how they have dealt with grow-ops in Washington State with
envy. Instead of allowing the courts to use their discretionary powers to
let the dealers off, the government should be bringing in mandatory five
year jail terms for first time grow-operators. And the time in jail should
keep going up with repeated offences until the key is thrown away.

I know there are studies which say this is a bad idea. Perhaps, but they
can't do any more harm while they are in jail. Like I said at the beginning
of my letter, I don't think users are scum or deviants.

I didn't say that I am that charitable towards those who directly profit
from the production and sale of B.C. bud.

Robert T. Rock Mission