Pubdate: Tue, 25 Feb 2003
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Nola Crewe
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk

LEGALIZE IT

RE YOUR Feb. 24 editorial: Decriminalizing marijuana, rather than 
legalizing it, makes no sense. If the goal is to eliminate wasted police 
hours and to avoid criminal records for an activity that few Canadians 
believe criminal, then surely a further goal should be to eliminate the 
direct link to international criminals.

What is frightening is not the smoking, it's having criminals hanging 
around our schoolyards and the flaunting of law. Let the LCBO take over the 
sale and distribution of marijuana. Let the taxpayer benefit from taxes on 
the sale and from reduced medical costs when the product smoked is not 
adulterated with other drugs or substances. It would be a win/win. Let's 
break the chain between pot smokers and organized crime.

Nola Crewe

(But if the legal age is 19, same as tobacco cigarettes, won't criminals 
still be hanging around the schoolyard?)
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom