CONSTANT SUPPLY OF OPINIONS

Dear Editor:

Re: Life With Mary Jane, letter to the editor May 1 edition.

Every once in a while a letter is printed from some out of the province
person that leaves me shaking my head, and Alan Randell of Victoria, B.C.'s
letter takes this week's prize. First of all I object to the publishing of
letters from individuals who do not even reside in Mississauga. I think it
stands to reason that the letters printed should reflect the opinions of
Mississaugans, not people living thousands of kilometers away. I've written
about this before, and my offer stands: if The News is so starved for
editorial content that it has to print letters from outside Mississauga,
let me know. I'd be happy to forward a constant supply of my opinions.

Secondly, Mr. Randell's letter is exactly the type of ridiculous rant that
those who still support the prohibition on marijuana love to point to as
evidence that it should remain illegal.

As a smoker and a supporter of the voices who call for the
decriminalization of simple possession of cannabis, I have to tell you Mr.
Randell that your letter does more to harm the movement than help it. Just
some examples: "...the jails are filled to overflowing with the unfortunate
few who were caught with the stuff." Amazingly, you contradict yourself in
the space of just one sentence. If it is indeed only the unfortunate few
who get busted, how could our jails possibly be filled to overflowing with
those that have been charged with possession? You also mention that "once
the number using the drug becomes the majority, marijuana will be
legalized". Shelve the pipe dreams, pun fully intended, for a minute here,
Alan. Marijuana users will never form the majority of the population, just
as cigarette smokers will not.

And is legalization what you really want? If legalized, do you realize that
the government will seek control of the production, distribution and
necessitant taxation of it? Or would you rather have it simply
decriminalized? There is a difference.

Honestly, the next time you decide to write a letter to a newspaper that
services a city that you don't even live in, I suggest you think about it.
And you wonder why, as you put it, when the media reports a drug bust they
print "nary a word from...those like me who oppose drug prohibition"???
Stop wondering, your letter is the answer

Gabriel Harkins

Mississauga