Pubdate: Fri, 11 Oct 2002 Source: West Australian (Australia) Copyright: 2002 West Australian Newspapers Limited Contact: http://www.thewest.com.au Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495 Author: Ian Crossley RIGHT MESSAGE THE confiscation of property for being convicted as a drug trafficker is a law that will go a long way to reducing the supply of drugs in WA. A man is about to lose his house as a result of growing cannabis with intent to supply (Cannabis grower to lose his house, 7/10). It always amazes me that when anyone gets caught it is the first time they have done the crime. What they actually mean is, it's the first time they have been caught. How would a normal 50-year-old person have the vaguest idea of where to sell big quantities of cannabis? One would assume that he knew where to dispose of the drugs before planting. It seems to me that the law makers have not thought this particular law through, because there are people now trying to say that we should be selective about who has their property seized. Why can't law makers assume all scenarios before passing laws? If we start watering down the law as it stands it sets a precedent for all who follow. I feel very sorry for the chap in Yangebup, but this is possibly just the message we need to send to society. It doesn't matter who you are or what your motives are, if you supply drugs you will, in addition to any other punishment, lose your property. The chap said he was desperate and desperate people do desperate things. Well, the fact that he could be responsible for a lot more people doing desperate things should have been considered before committing this crime. How many more crops would this man have grown if he had not been caught? IAN CROSSLEY, Duncraig. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens