Pubdate: Sun, 12 Apr 2009
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Richard Atwell
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n392/a08.html

POT LEGALIZATION PLAN IS NAIVE

About a year ago, Keith Martin suggested that the health risks of 
smoking contraband cigarettes could be mitigated by introducing a 
government tracking system akin to the Liquor Control Act. He 
suggested that government-labelled cigarettes would be "safe" to smoke.

Now comes his private member's bill that recommends we decriminalize 
the possession of small amounts of marijuana in order to curtail gang 
violence. Martin seems ignorant of the fact that a large part of our 
drug problem here in B.C. is due to the proximity of our neighbour to 
the south -- one that is 10 times our size, has an insatiable desire 
for drugs and has not legalized them.

In 2006, Mexico tried to introduce such decriminalization 
legislation, and at the last minute President Vicente Fox refused to 
sign the bill into law. What changed his mind? The United States 
objected, and it's naive for Martin to think that the U.S. will let 
us do the same without their consent.

Richard Atwell

Saanich
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom