Pubdate: Tue, 27 Sep 2005
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Martin Abela

ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO GROW MARIJUANA

Re: Get tough on pot, slain Mounties' families urge (thestar.com, Sept. 26.)

The families of the four Mounties killed last spring are wrong to urge
government to crack down on those who grow or possess marijuana. They
suggest that tougher penalties for marijuana offences could save the
lives of police officers.

This hardly seems likely, considering that killing a police officer is
already the most serious offence in the Criminal Code, with a
mandatory penalty of life in prison with no parole for 25 years.

Why not shut down all illegal grow operations with the stroke of a pen
by allowing individuals to grow and possess a reasonable quantity of
marijuana for personal use?

This could allow police to focus on deadly drugs like crack or crystal
meth or, better yet, to enforce Canada's gun laws. After all, the RCMP
officers were not killed with a joint, but with a gun.

Martin Abela, Toronto
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