Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jan 2003
Source: Burlington Post (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 Burlington Post
Contact:  http://www.haltonsearch.com/hr/bp/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1528
Author: Andrew L. Clark

READER RESPONDS TO YOUNG'S 'RAMBLING LETTER'

Reading Mr. Young's recent rambling letter regarding the decriminalization 
of marijuana possession (the Post, Dec. 27 ) left me a little puzzled. I'm 
not sure if this was a public service health message or, probably more 
accurately, a thinly-veiled attack on both Paddy Torsney and Bonnie Brown's 
Liberal platform.

I find it quite ironic that a former member of the Conservative party is 
able to dispense such sage health advice to the public; I'm sure the 
residents of Walkerton can take solace in the Tory parties renewed 
commitment to the health and well being of the general public.

I will not get into the debate of his "key myths" of marijuana usage, 
suffice to say that the words alcohol or tobacco can be inserted into these 
myths interchangeably.

Tobacco's effect on our society has been far greater and costs taxpayers an 
exponentially higher burden on the health system than marijuana usage.

Mr. Young's letter rang of anecdotal evidence and, in many cases, incorrect 
information. As someone who has lived in the Netherlands for seven years 
and travelled extensively in Europe, I can assure the author that pull-down 
aluminum shutters have nothing to do with a liberal marijuana policy.

Europe as a whole suffers from incidental street crime which includes 
breaking into storefronts; the aluminum street shutters in Amsterdam are no 
different from the ones used in London, Rome, Paris or Berlin.

Let me end by saying I am neither pro nor anti-marijuana decriminalization 
but political scare mongering using anecdotal and non-scientific 
information to settle political scores is distasteful in our paper. I trust 
the readers have the sense to see the article for what it was.

Andrew L. Clark, Burlington

(Via e-mail) 
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MAP posted-by: Beth