Pubdate: Fri, 14 Aug 2015
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact: http://www.edmontonsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.edmontonsun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: David Reid
Page: 14
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor.

WAR ON DRUGS

I wonder if Stephen Harper and the neo-cons will ever face reality and
admit the war on drugs is a failure and stop throwing away tax money
into this bottomless pit. I understand addiction is a horrible
disease, and that families have been laid to waste from the
detrimental results left in its wake, but until we treat the disease
as a medical issue, and not a criminal issue, we are doomed to repeat
the dismal history on this so called war.

I'm tired of listening to their fear mongering message about keeping 
cannabis out of the hands of our children. It's already there. If it was 
regulated, not unlike liquor or tobacco, and sold in specific outlets, 
who have a vested interest in keeping their licences and would only sell 
to age-appropriate patrons, you would end this problem overnight.

Unlike the system in practice now, where black market profiteers and
criminals sell to anyone with money, while the police run around
chasing their tails. One need only do a quick search on the! Internet
about the country of Portugal, and their new age policy on drugs, to
see that this is not only attainable, but inevitable. It seems to me
money fighting the war on marijuana could be better spent on education
and rehabilitation.

David Reid

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(The government will eventually come to that realization. Just a
matter of which government.)