Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 Source: Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON) Page: A14 Copyright: 2002 Kitchener-Waterloo Record Contact: http://www.therecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225 Author: Mike Ritter Note: Mike Ritter is a veterinarian in New Hamburg and a member of CLEAN, Community Link Empowered Against Narcotics Cited: CLEAN http://www.telc.ca/community.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n080/a06.html SECOND OPINION MARIJUANA GROWERS SHOULD BE PACKED OFF TO PRISON This is in response to three articles which ran in The Record on Jan. 17, related to drugs. In the article entitled Tougher Pot-grow Penalties Urged, I would like to applaud the stance taken by regional councillors, especially Joe Martens, Jane Mitchell and Jim Wideman, who were quoted in the article. For several months, our regional police have expressed concerns about the prevalence of indoor marijuana grow operations within our region and have been able to successfully expose a number of them (68), while an estimated 200 more still operate. Following lengthy investigations by police and perhaps neighbouring citizens, the end results have been conditional sentences or house arrest for these offenders. These operations are a lucrative part of the street drug trade that plagues our society today. Hundreds of our youth are tempted by their own curiosity and attracted to the convenience and availability of marijuana. Many do not realize the risks of experimentation and the potential negative influence on their lives as they continue to use and possibly move on to more dangerous substances. It's no secret to the police or to your readers that there's a direct link to the involvement of street drugs and a variety of other forms of crime, whether it be theft of hydro as mentioned in the same article or other stolen goods, as noted by Staff Sergeant Ray Massicotte, the head of our regional police drug squad, in the article Police Raid Yields Drugs, Stolen Goods. As a concerned citizen and member of CLEAN (Community Link Empowered Against Narcotics, whose mission statement is "Parents linked with our community to assist in the need for support, awareness and empowerment against narcotics"), I wish to commend the aforementioned councillors for their stance. Let's all send a message to our legislators and our judges that there is a need to impose stiff penalties to discourage every component of this escalating problem. I am recommending a minimum substantial prison sentence for anyone involved in the "commercial grow" of marijuana, which might provide a deterrent more fitting to the crime. To Hal Mattson for his argument in defence of his client Cuong Luong in the article Jail Terms Don't Work, Pot-grower's Lawyer Says, I recognize his role in this judicial system of ours. However, to paint a picture of some misdemeanour for a 46-year-old man who stood to gain $170,000 for this crop is appalling to me. This article refers to Mattson's efforts to influence the decision of Justice David Carr based on the precedents of previous cases within the region. Shame on Mattson for dismissing the reality that marijuana appears to be a gateway to much more serious drug use for many of our young people and therefore, its cultivation should not be considered as some misdemeanour. To press for leniency for his self-serving client is to disregard the negative impact to our community, as well as the huge amount of pain for many, many families -- especially when drug use does not stop at "just marijuana." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake