BLACK-MARKET DEALERS WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE

WHEN SOLICITOR General Heather Forsyth says, "We have huge grow
operations in this province and B.C. we're trying to deal with, and I
think to take it just one step defeats everything so I am totally
opposed to it," she may have a good point. If the Chretien government
makes smoking marijuana even less of a crime than it already is, but
does nothing about bringing the supply out of the black market, then
Canada will have an even larger criminal economy than ever. Instead of
this scenario, I think Chretien ought to take two steps. Legalizing
consumption for adults should coincide with laws designed to give
adults a place to purchase their cannabis from a regulated and
taxpaying establishment. If Chretien legalizes consumption without
giving people somewhere to buy it, black-market dealers will continue
to thrive.

Kendall M. Cox,

Shorewood, Illinois

(A government that can't register guns should provide a lot of laughs
trying to sell pot.)