Pubdate: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 Source: Liberal, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2007, Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing Contact: http://www.yorkregion.com/yr/yr4/YR-News/Newscentre/The-Liberal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2347 Author: M. Elena Smith Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) LEGALIZING POT ONLY REAL SOLUTION Re: Tougher laws needed to prevent children from living in drug dens, editorial, Feb. 1. Your editorial claims additional laws will "help ensure children are protected". If only it was that easy. The laws we have now and all that police activity are not ensuring protection for our neighbourhoods or our children. Adding more laws will not work simply because the root of the problem is not addressed. Prohibition does not work but it does waste law enforcement resources, human and monetary. In fact, during Prohibition people drank more. We must do two things: legalize and control drugs; educate. Look at the evidence -- smoking is down because of education and controlling where one can smoke. Anything else makes absolutely no sense. M. Elena Smith Richmond Hill - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman