The Conservatives can make it tougher for pot growers all they want but when the violent gang members are willing to risk being shot to death every minute of every day a few more months in prison is not going to stop these people. The repeal of alcohol prohibition put a end to a lot of gang violence that happened during prohibition of alcohol. Repealing cannabis prohibition would seriously reduce the gang violence and end the massive cannabis gardens in private homes. Additionally many legal jobs and taxes could be created. Keith Fagin Calgary [end]
I want to thank Dave Breakenridge for his courage to write the June 29 column "Troubling talk about drug use." Politicians have no courage to speak the truth about prohibition. They have no interest in what is best for our communities, only what will get them elected. The public needs to demand these spineless politicians read the government-funded studies and speak the truth so we can get safer communities with less gang-related violence. Cannabis consumers are peaceful people. We are from all walks of life and contribute to our communities in a positive way everyday. I have responsibly consumed cannabis for 38 years. I have never been charged with any violent crime. Sadly, I was convicted of possession of a small pipe with cannabis resin when I was 16 and sentenced to 30 days in a adult prison. Despite this, I have always had a job, raised a family, paid taxes and paid off a home mortgage and contributed to my community in a peaceful, positive way all my adult life. Keith Fagin (We're glad to hear that, Keith.) [end]
Here's how to stop the reefer madness-type lies that continue. Legalize and regulate all drugs. People will consume drugs no matter what harm may come from this type of activity. So access to regulated, clean drugs that are dose-specific, along with proper education, is long overdue. Until this happens, many more needless deaths will continue to happen across Canada and around the world. Keith Fagin (It's not going to happen. Politicians won't go there.) [end]
Re: Syringe drop boxes offer proof people who use drugs take needle safety seriously while still being shunned by society. ("When it comes to intravenous drugs, both in the sheer number of users and who the addicts are, it seems Calgary has a lot to learn," Michael Platt, April 13.) Calgary being Stephen Harper's home, it is no surprise there is an ideologically driven way of doing things. Sadly, the city and provincial governments have no interest in the solid facts. The same can be said for our current federal government. The local media have to shoulder some blame as well. All too often, government ideology is what is published by the media while drug studies are ignored. There are a few brave journalists willing to risk writing the solid truthful facts , but just not enough of them and for understandable reasons. It is the nasty stigma surrounding illegal drugs and the lack of same for the lethal legal drug alcohol. Keith Fagin (Platt's column was a eyeopener.) [end]
Good to see the EPS knows full well not to waste time on peaceful people consuming cannabis. It's a much safer drug than alcohol, with the worst side-effect being the munchies. Cannabis should've been legalized when The Le Dain Commission Report was released in 1972. The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs in 2002 reached the same conclusion. Instead our federal government ignores science in favour of disproven political beliefs and insists on increasing the harms caused by a law that should not have been on the books for 35 years, via mandatory prison time for one pot plant. (You're right, it's politically shameful and burdens police unnecessarily. ) [end]
Re: I am continually reminded by parents and teachers in the Kootenay-Columbia riding of the importance of protecting our children from the use of illegal drugs. I want to know why all too many people continue to ignore the true hard facts about most all drugs legal and illegal? Legal hard drugs such as alcohol, pharmaceuticals and cigarettes kill many more people every year than all the currently illegal drugs combined. Coffee has caffeine included. Caffeine does kill people every year. [continues 83 words]
Dear editor: Alcohol prohibition of course did not work and was repealed not because we want people to consume the hard, addictive and destructive drug, alcohol, but because we learned prohibition just created violent gangs that could care less what they sold to the alcohol-consuming public. I fully support the Holy Smoke and their actions to reduce the evil and harms caused by hard addictive drugs. We will never be able to stop humankind from consuming them if they so desire, centuries of history has shown that as solid fact. The Holy Smoke people are nothing short of serious heroes. In fact it is time I send them a donation today. Keith Fagin Calgary [end]
There are many currently illegal medical cannabis compassion organizations in Canada providing a valuable and much-needed service to thousands of Canadians at zero cost to taxpayers. They continue to provide a far superior supply of many quality cannabis strains. Sadly, our government is more interested in controlling Canadians' lives and providing rich and powerful corporations even more profits and power than they have enjoyed for all too long. Keith Fagin (So, you hate the feds and corporations?) [end]
Re: "Prince of pot not afraid of the joint," Jan. 15.) This assault on Canadian sovereignty puts Canada on a slippery slope when the U.S. can have a Canadian imprisoned for longer than most violent repeat criminals just for selling cannabis seeds. It has been seven years since Canada bothered to arrest and charge anyone for openly selling cannabis seeds. Keith Fagin (We need to give violent repeat offenders even longer terms.) [end]
Re: "Doctors more open to medicinal pot: Study," (Jan. 7) No surprise to me when there is so much science available in regards to medicinal cannabis. I am saddened when I look at 12 states in the U.S. that have legal medicinal cannabis programs now and every one of them has more people signed up to use legal medicinal in one year than Canada has signed up in five years of having a legal medicinal cannabis program in place. I always liked to believe Canada was one of the more compassionate countries. The facts show that is not the case -- sadly. Keith Fagin (You can't blame doctors for wanting to be certain about the effectiveness of medical pot.) [end]
The answer to the drug problem is regulation and proper and truthful education. Many decades of drug studies and 80 years of prohibition experiences have told us this. If we repealed prohibition and regulated illegal drugs, as we do with alcohol and cigarettes, millions of the tax dollars spent on enforcement of prohibition could be used to properly educate the public about the dangers. Increase the treatment centre beds for those who do end up addicted to any drug. Not only will this take away the huge profits from violent criminal organizations, it will seriously increase the safety of our communities. Keith Fagin (Your theory's gaining support in some quarters.) [end]
The only thing that Stephen Harper's drug policy will do is to increase the illegal drug profits, the violence and the misery. The drug trade in countries that have the death penalty for drug traffickers has not been stopped. The threat of long prison terms, decay, disease or even death has not worked. The drug dealers that will be prosecuted will be the addicts who have to sell drugs to support their own addictions. They either sell the drugs or steal what they need to get the money to buy the even more expensive drugs. [continues 75 words]
Editor: Re: Tamara Cartwright's letter to the editor, Sept. 6, Herald, which states: "I am a strong advocate for legalization!" Good for you, Tamara! Science does agree with you 100 per cent. So does common sense. Thirty-five years ago in 1972, the Le Dain commission and in 2002 the special Senate committee published their drug studies that the Canadian government asked and paid for no less. Both government-funded drug studies stated stop prohibition of cannabis due to the huge increase in the harms caused by prohibition. [continues 51 words]
Re: "Growing fears in the inner-city," Editorial, Sept. 8 The editorial says: "The $5 million the mayor wants approved to hire 10 more police officers and 25 bylaw enforcers might be more effective if spent on permanent solutions to end homelessness." After all these years of historical proof that enforcement is not the only answer, politicians still refuse to take their heads out of the sand and look for better ways of dealing with crime problems. Their answer continues to be: use more enforcement and ignore what might actually work towards reducing homelessness and crimes fuelled by the illegal drug trade. [continues 123 words]
I write regarding Bill Kaufmann's "Total reform key to war on drugs," (Aug 17). I have to stand and applaud Kaufmann for his courage to write the truth. Sadly, with so many years of reefer madness and outright lies, there is a real nasty stigma attached to cannabis. As for the other drugs, the only real workable solution is regulation. Just like alcohol and cigarettes. There is no way to stop some people from taking mind-altering substances, no matter how harmful the results can be to themselves, let alone adding the increased harms provided by prohibition into that equation. Harm reduction with truthful education -- the real, cold hard truths only -- regulation and treatment will set us free of a lot of current prohibition-related problems. Keith Fagin (The current war on drugs is clearly not working.) [end]
Re: Mindelle Jacobs's column, "Politics and potheads." I think cannabis should be legalized - period. The Le Dain Commission suggested this in 1972. Legalized cannabis would put an end to commercial grow operations plaguing many neighbourhoods. It would free up police resources and save millions every year in taxpayer dollars. Keith Fagin (Blame gutless politicians.) [end]
Re: Pot activist wins NDP nomination (Pique May 17) Although I have never met Dana Larsen in person I do know about his work on social issues over the years. If Dana was running in my riding in Calgary, Alberta I would vote for him. That would be the first time I would have voted for a NDP candidate in my 48 years of life and almost 30 years of my being an active voter. Why? Let me tell you why. [continues 244 words]
First and foremost I applaud Dr. Gord Breen, principal of Morley Community School for having "'ongoing annual student programs directed towards the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, said Breen, as well as wellness and guidance counselors, and a family and student therapist on staff.' (suspect charged with selling drugs to kids, Times, May 9)" Thankfully the mass majority do not abuse drugs and become addicted. I wouldn't even want to imagine what our world would look like if the majority of people were addicted to drugs of any kind. [continues 228 words]
On reading "Drug court plan goes ahead," (April 8) I applaud Ald. Madeleine King for publicly supporting this initiative. All too often politicians prefer to jump on the drug war bandwagon. Expert studies have shown (so has history) prohibition and just jailing drug abusers does not work. It is long overdue that we work at reducing the harm caused by drug abuse instead of just creating even more harm by jailing people. Education and treatment are better answers to drug abuse problems society faces. The treatment approach is better then wasting taxpayer dollars locking up drug abusers who return to the street and start abusing drugs yet again. (We have to try every method possible to end this scourge.) [end]
Dear Editor, You are wrong cannabis is not legal. Canada and the USA no less do have federal legal medical cannabis programs currently in place and have for years now. I do have one question for you that I hope you will answer. How many more expert studies do we need that clearly state prohibition of cannabis creates a lot more social harms then cannabis it's self ever has or ever could? Keith Fagin [end]
