KNEE-JERK POLICE REACTION ON POT

To the editor:

Regarding the story, Senators: Legalize Weed (The Daily News, Sept. 5):
talk about a knee-jerk reaction.

It's hard to believe that the Canadian Police Association even took time to
read this nearly 700-page study of public policy.

What was apparent from viewing the CPA news conference is that bureaucrats
willing to play at being both politician and scientist end up appearing as
the strawman.

Not only did CPA executive director David Griffin regurgitate just about
every patently absurd misconception, his "a back-to-school gift for drug
pushers" diatribe demonstrated to the nation the essence of the illogic
inherent within prohibition; in the process, Griffin amply demonstrates the
lengths the CPA will go to in order to undermine this Senate Report so as
to preserve cannabis prohibition.

And contrary to the assertions of Canadian Alliance MP Keith Martin,
decriminalization would not address the problems inherent in prohibition,
only the regulation of cannabis government would address those problems.

Prohibition does not work; it never has and never will. The Senate
committee 's report recognizes what a substantial percentage of Canadians
from a vast cross-section of the population know.

It is time for politicians to demonstrate accountability for the flawed and
problematic cannabis legislation currently being foisted upon Canadians.

This would be best addressed by following through on the committee's
recommendations.

Wayne Phillips

Hamilton, Ont.