HARMLESS POT PLAN IRKS U.S. BULLIES

Re: Pot plan puts U.S. noses out of joint

U.S. Drug Czar John Walters' warning to Canada infuriates me.

Once again, this is a case of the Americans playing schoolyard bully.

If you disagree with them, the result is threats and sanctions. I find it
incredible that in a country that purports to be the leader of the free
world and where freedom of expression is written into the constitution, a
neighbouring country is slammed for demonstrating a bit of dissent.

First, our government is not legalizing drugs. The government only wants to
decriminalize simple possession of marijuana, although it wouldn't be a bad
thing if we did decriminalize it altogether.

The government could have our farmers grow it and could control the sale of it.

Think of the tax revenues — and maybe our farmers could earn a real living
for once.

Perhaps the Americans are just sore that, once again, we are producing a
superior product to theirs.

Walters should understand the statistics concerning the actual movement of
pot into his country and its very own production of it.

The famous Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar, said it best, "If the demand
from America wasn't so great, we would not create the supply."

The Americans, of all people, should understand this most fundamental
principle of economics.

The learned Walters' comment, "If we were sending toxic substances to your
young people, you would be and should be upset," ignores the fact that
Americans have been sending toxic and lethal substances to our young people
for years — they're called guns and they're more deadly than a joint could
ever be.

Dan Flanagan, Toronto