DON'T DECRIMINALIZE POT

The Record's grounds for decriminalizing marijuana in its Feb.2 editorial,
were: we should not waste our limited police resources; we should not waste
our finite supplies of public money; marijuana does no more harm than
tobacco; and growers routinely receive light sentences in our courts. Did
not our government declare this a crime? Are we going to decriminalize any
crime that is so common?

Next thing we know, The Record will use those same grounds mentioned above
for speeding, stealing, murder. Speeding does no harm -- except the
occasional death. Stealing does no harm -- except a few inconveniences and
losses to the owner. Murder does no harm to a person that kills, only to
the life of the victim. Should we waste our limited resources, finite
supplies of public money on punishing these crimes? People convicted of
these crimes routinely receive light sentences. Let's reduce our police
force and let anarchy reign.

Rules and regulations are for the common good. If it becomes common to
violate these rules and regulations, why do they exist at all? Is The
Record ultimately promoting lawlessness, an every-man-for-himself attitude?

Hank Jager, Fergus