REGULATED CANNABIS A BETTER SOLUTION

Dear Editor - The English government's announcement that it will lighten up
on cannabis and penalties for its many users doesn't go far enough. As your
Friday, July 12 editorial, "Lightening up on cannabis use" asks, "Where
will the now-freer simple possessors get their supply?"

Regulation of cannabis remains a superior solution to decriminalization
both here and in England.

The decriminalization of simple possession of cannabis in of and by itself,
would simply establish a system of ticketing that would rise exponentially
based on any increased volume ( of those ) ticketed. Fines ultimately could
still lead to incarceration, either because of failure to pay or the number
of times caught.

The decriminalization of simple possession of cannabis would not address
the multitude of problems inherent with prohibition.

Dr. Patrick Smith of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health told the
Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs that: "If we discovered three
drugs today and they were alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, there isn't an
expert in the country who would recommend that marijuana be the one that is
banned based on individual and societal harm."

If there isn't an expert in the country who would recommend that marijuana
be the one that is banned based on individual and societal harm, then the
prohibition of cannabis is a mistake and, as such, creates problems where
there need not be any. It is this same policy that is the catalyst fueling
marijuana grow operations.

Government could use more effective means to safeguard the public while
striking a major victory against those fronting "illegal grow operations"
by regulating, licensing and/or taxing marijuana like alcohol.

Wayne Phillips

Hamilton