« MP says Senate pot idea is up in smoke | Main | Canada’s pot policy under fire from the U.S. »
Marijuana prohibition is the wrong answer
By Hempology | September 26, 2002
A letter published in The Victoria News, September 25, 2002
By Barry Carvish (Victoria)
Re: “Legalizing marijuana is the wrong answer”, letter to the editor by Eileen Nattrass, Victoria News,
Sept. 18.
While I greatly sympathize with your granddaughter’s addiction to marijuana and the hardship and worry your
family has gone through, you must recognize the irony that marijuana is still illegal, and therefore the
currently laws did not prevent your granddaughter from becoming involved in marijuana use at a very early
age.
Stories such as this are not a good enough reason to keep marijuana classified as illegal.
I wonder why a 13-year-old becomes involved in marijuana. Could it be that she had a predisposition for
disobeying authority and through this attitude became involved with illegal drugs? Was it the lure of
it being illegal? Or how about the fact that under our current “uncontrolled” situation, marijuana is
still readily available for purchase in every schoolyard across North America. Pot is easier to obtain
than alcohol or tobacco for a youth.
Our federal Senators have heard testimony from hundreds of Canadians, and have compiled the best
scientific research to date. Their conclusions are logical – legalize it and regulate it.
Stop the underground distribution of pot. Recognize that two-thirds of all drug charges relate to
marijuana, and spend the millions it costs us to enforce this prohibition on education programs to teach
young adults the pros and cons of all substance use.
As we know, cigarettes kill millions of people world wide, as does the habitual abuse of fast fried
foods that are readily available and marketed to our children. Should we be banning these things because
some people take it too far? I don’t think so.
Ultimately, we must be able to make our own informed decisions regarding our lifestyles and health. The
laws against marijuana have caused a great deal of trouble and anguish in the lives of thousands of
otherwise law-abiding citizens. I have enjoyed cannabis on occasion for several years since my youth and
have a productive and happy life. Friends and family have similar testimony regarding cannabis use.
Society in general and government have no right interfering with our choice.
Topics: Articles | Comments Off
Comments are closed.