FORMER MPP PROTESTS MARIJUANA'S DECRIMINALIZATION

Drug dealers across Canada are cheering quietly and preparing to
expand their operations.

Incredibly, a parliamentary committee in Ottawa, chaired by Burlington
MP Paddy Torsney, has recommended that possession of 30-50 joints of
marijuana become a ticketing offence, like speeding. Paddy, who admits
she has smoked marijuana in the past, joked with the media saying it
depends how thick you roll the joints.

This foolish idea would undoubtedly widely expand use of this
narcotic, putting more drugs into the hands of children and teens.

Having represented a considerable part of Burlington and Oakville for
four years at Queen's Park, I can say I never once heard anyone
suggest that marijuana be decriminalized. What I heard was that decent
people are fed up with crime, especially drug dealers, those who don't
pay their fair share of taxes, and are concerned with threats to our
health-care system.

Since there was never any mention of liberalizing narcotics laws in
any of Torsney's or Bonnie Brown's election literature from 1993 on,
one has to wonder how far out of touch with their ridings and reality
they can get.

Here are three key myths regarding marijuana which the government
members apparently believe:

Marijuana use doesn't lead to other drugs. False. It very often does.
Ask any drug user if they have smoked marijuana. The vast majority
will say yes.

Marijuana is not addictive. False. There are untold thousands of
people who are highly dependent on marijuana. It depletes initiative,
dulls the thinking and impairs the user's judgment -- a tragic
lifestyle very difficult to escape.

Marijuana is harmless. False. Marijuana use is involved in many
property crimes, assaults and many vehicle accidents causing injuries
and death. Marijuana sales finance other kinds of crime which cost
taxpayers billions of dollars. Marijuana dealers don't pay tax.
Marijuana growers are stealing millions of dollars in hydro from the
rest of us.

Marijuana-related social problems in families and schools cause untold
misery and overload our social service agencies. Marijuana-induced
impairment reduces productivity in our workplaces, causes accidents
and prevents children and teens from learning in school. Marijuana
smoke itself contains hundreds of chemicals, from which users will
suffer ill health as they get older -- putting an even greater burden
on our health-care system.

Decriminalizing pot will attract the most resourceful and wealthy
dealers from around the world to Canada and put millions in their
pockets to finance other crime. Our young people will have pot shoved
in their faces everywhere they go.

Police will spend more time trying to keep up with the misbehaviour of
impaired marijuana users and their wealthy dealers, like in Amsterdam
where shops have been forced to install pull-down aluminum shutters at
night. Imagine downtown Oakville and Burlington stores with aluminum
shutters covering all the windows after 6 p.m.

If only for the young people, please take a minute and call the
offices of Torsney (905-639-5757) and Brown (905-827-2077) to tell
them you don't want more drugs on our streets.

Terence H. Young,
Oakville