SMOKING POT IS STILL ILLEGAL

Editor:

Re: Enforcement issue put on wrong parties, Herald editorial, May 2.

Whoever wrote this must have been smoking better stuff than was
inhaled at the Dogg concert.

To compare smoking pot (or whatever else might be the choice du jour,
meth, for example) to "families and friends bringing their own booze
to city ball diamonds" is bad analogy. C'mon, pot is an illegal
substance. Booze isn't.

The comment of there being "no record of any arrests from the Enmax
that night" is equally misleading. So what if no arrests were made?
Arrests are only made in extreme situations. Appearance notices and
promises to appear documents can be and are issued to alleged
offenders for lesser offences, such as pot possession. It's like
receiving a speeding ticket. No arrest is necessary. Did The Herald
bother to ascertain if any of these documents had been issued that
night?

I recall years ago when Janice Joplin performed at McMahon Stadium,
thousands attended, and yes, drugs were consumed. I don't recall any
arrests being made at that venue either, but I can tell you this, a
great number of people were charged with a variety of offences.

The comment "Pot smoking is not uncommon at many concerts" is valid,
but that doesn't legitimize the use of the product. What assurance can
The Herald give me that only pot was used that night? What about meth,
crank, cocaine or a myriad of other nasty drugs currently available
and being consumed? Is that OK, too?

The slippery slope to which you refer is non-existent. Perhaps one day
pot will be legalized -- I firmly believe that will happen -- but
until such time, possession and use of that product is still illegal.

Glen Berry,

Lethbridge