Pubdate: Sat, 25 Mar 2017
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Jim McIlwham
Page: A10

THE RIGHT TO PROTEST ROTTEN LAWS

Re: Recreational pot is still illegal - March 18

Seldom have I read a more poorly-reasoned commentary. The editorial
points out that "the law is the law." So was disenfranchisement of
women, capital punishment, prohibition, and a hundred other bad laws.
If the law is rotten, your obligation is not to obey it, but to
protest and civilly disobey it.

The public trust in that bad law hardly "erodes" when the police do
not enforce it. Rather, it increases the public trust and respect in
the police and judiciary.

And as to the public health concerns, have we not carried out an
uncontrolled experiment with millions of users here and in the U.S.
for 100 years? How many deaths? Would we not be much better off
focusing our money and other scarce resources on fentanyl and similar
dangerous drugs? We know how many deaths they've caused.

Finally, as to the risk of "unsavoury organized criminal elements
profiting," what do you think is happening now with absent
legalization? Get on with it, Mr. Trudeau. You promised.

Jim McIlwham

Waterloo
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MAP posted-by: Matt