SENATE ROAD SHOW NEEDED MORE INFO

Editor:

The recent results of the Cannabis Senate Report have been bothering me a
great deal since they came out and I have been frustrated thinking that
readers might think this report is valuable and informative.

I am a mother of two teenagers and have many thoughts about the drug
cannabis (marijuana) it's use and place in society. I felt when I received
by special invitation to the recent "Senate Road Show" (I am also a school
Trustee) that I should attend and listen to views and perhaps voice my
opinions on the topic.

When I arrived at the meeting it became very clear to me very quickly that
it was a very one sided view the Senate was hearing.

The audience was mostly filled with people that supported the use of
cannabis. I was lucky enough to receive an invitation, how were the other
members of my community invited? My deep concern is in the fact that if the
Senate believes it heard from my community on the topic, they are very
sadly mistaken and that if they are basing the outcomes on the feedback
collected (at least in my community in Richmond) then they are wrong and in
my opinion invalid.

I felt quite strongly about this at the time of the meeting and mentioned
my concerns to one of the organizers and she in turn told me the meeting
had been put together very quickly and there wasn't enough time to really
advertise the meeting etc.

I think this topic is extremely important and deserves some real
conversations more than one thrown together at the last minute.

Conversations that involve lots of opinions from lots of people in our
community.

Donna Sargent, Richmond