Pubdate: Sat, 31 May 2003
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2003 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Jordan Conway

MARIJUANA IS STILL ILLEGAL

Ronald Deere writes (Letters, May 29) ''the government says it's OK to have 
15 grams'' of marijuana. In fact, marijuana is still illegal; the only 
thing the government is saying is that it understands that many of the 
people who smoke it are decent upstanding, law-abiding citizens in every 
aspect of their life, save one: they occasionally like to smoke a joint. 
Now if caught these people will not risk jail time and a criminal record.

The government has also proposed a $245-million National Drug Strategy 
aimed at educating people about the dangers of marijuana, including 
$910,000 just to lecture about driving under the influence.

There are also stiffer penalties for driving under the influence of 
marijuana. As for the marijuana-smoker Deere stopped from getting into his 
truck, the same situation could have happened just as easily with someone 
who was drunk. In fact, Deere would probably have had a harder time 
stopping a drunk. No matter what the substance, there are always going to 
be stupid people who abuse it .

Jordan Conway

Pointe-Claire
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens