REGULATION AND TAXING IS THE ANSWER

To the editor:

Re: Local cops gear up for war on weed, LTW June 14, 2002.

Recently, 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." (Doc says pot less
harmful than booze and tobacco; calls for legalization, June 7, 2002,
Windsor Star).

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 "greedy marijuana growers" by regulating,
licencing and/or taxing marijuana like alcohol.

Wayne Phillips

Hamilton

(More taxes, yuck.)