Law ruins lives

Reefer sadness makes me feel old, really old, when I think that this is the
same debate 30 years later. There will never be resolution or compromise re
marijuana: compassionate use for those who suffer from pain or evil drug
that leads to use of more evil drugs. Of course, one's definition of
compassion varies from person to person, pain can be relative, and your
pain is not my problem.

The Compassion Centre should not be surprised by its situation. There is
the strong influence of American policy. The United States and Canada have
very different moral and legal views on marijuana. That has never been in
question. The reality is, more people's lives have been derailed, messed up
and complicated by criminal records for possession of marijuana than by
smoking it. Of course, I might just be paranoid about that claim.

Douglas Helliker, Toronto