Pubdate: Wed, 17 May 2000 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2000 Southam Inc. Contact: Address: 300 - 1450 Don Mills Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3R5 Fax: (416) 442-2209 Feedback: http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary.asp?s2letters Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Forum: http://forums.canada.com/~nationalpostAuthor: Mark Bryan Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n648/a10.html MAKE IT LEGAL Whilst reading Two-Thirds Favour Decriminalizing Pot (May 15), I was saddened to see the following comment from the Canadian Police Association pass without analysis: Drug use is a "significant contributing factor in a wide range of crimes, including property offences, crimes of violence, robbery, prostitution and organized crime gangs." They do not actually dare to say that people smoking pot is the cause of these societal woes, but definitely imply it. This is a typical anti-drug position used by those lacking sufficient grounds to support their argument. Any individual capable of thinking clearly will immediately see that it is the very act of criminalizing pot that causes these problems. If pot were to be legalized, taxed, and channelled via the government, the gangs and other assorted criminals that the government keeps in business would have no market left -- and yes, whilst there may still be residual smuggling problems, one rarely reads of shoot-outs and prostitution rings run by cigarette gangs. Mark Bryan, Vancouver - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk