READER RESPONDS TO YOUNG'S 'RAMBLING LETTER'

Reading Mr. Young's recent rambling letter regarding the decriminalization
of marijuana possession (the Post, Dec. 27 ) left me a little puzzled. I'm
not sure if this was a public service health message or, probably more
accurately, a thinly-veiled attack on both Paddy Torsney and Bonnie Brown's
Liberal platform.

I find it quite ironic that a former member of the Conservative party is
able to dispense such sage health advice to the public; I'm sure the
residents of Walkerton can take solace in the Tory parties renewed
commitment to the health and well being of the general public.

I will not get into the debate of his "key myths" of marijuana usage,
suffice to say that the words alcohol or tobacco can be inserted into these
myths interchangeably.

Tobacco's effect on our society has been far greater and costs taxpayers an
exponentially higher burden on the health system than marijuana usage.

Mr. Young's letter rang of anecdotal evidence and, in many cases, incorrect
information. As someone who has lived in the Netherlands for seven years
and travelled extensively in Europe, I can assure the author that pull-down
aluminum shutters have nothing to do with a liberal marijuana policy.

Europe as a whole suffers from incidental street crime which includes
breaking into storefronts; the aluminum street shutters in Amsterdam are no
different from the ones used in London, Rome, Paris or Berlin.

Let me end by saying I am neither pro nor anti-marijuana decriminalization
but political scare mongering using anecdotal and non-scientific
information to settle political scores is distasteful in our paper. I trust
the readers have the sense to see the article for what it was.

Andrew L. Clark, Burlington

(Via e-mail)