In an article last week about new regulations for marijuana dispensaries in Vancouver, city manager Penny Ballem said "the city has no jurisdiction over the legality of marijuana." Yes, Ottawa does make the laws regarding marijuana, but Vancouver does have a police force that operates and enforces the laws in the Criminal Code.

So when pot shops operate without a licence, selling an illegal drug and not paying taxes, where is the police enforcement? I guess doing nothing, as demonstrated during the 4/20 demonstration where police stood around while people set up booths and sold marijuana.

Last time I checked, this constitutes trafficking in an illegal substance or possession for the purpose of trafficking. Inaction by the police, the courts and political enforcement in the past has resulted in the problems we have today.

Joe Edwards, Cloverdale

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Dear Editor:

Amendment 44 would legalize personal use of marijuana under Colorado law. Marijuana previously was sold over the counter in one ounce packets for headaches and insomnia and in Brown's Sedative tablets and Lilly's One Day Cough Cure. Cocaine and morphine were also sold in drug stores. The big problems began when the drugs were made illegal. We're repeating the same mistakes of alcohol prohibition. After 24 years of the war on drugs and wasting tens of billions of dollars, it's obvious sale and use of drugs can't be stopped. These drugs cause transient pleasurable feelings and there is a continuing demand.

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