Pubdate: Fri, 23 Dec 2011 Source: Record, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2011 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.royalcityrecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1654 Author: Alan Randell Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n692/a04.html COLUMN WAS 'APPALLING' Dear Editor: Re Stoners need a better argument, In My Opinion, The Record, Dec. 9 What a breathtakingly appalling column. 1. It is not only "stoners" who oppose the prohibition of marijuana. I do. The Senate does. Three former mayors of Vancouver do. And many, many more except that Matthew Claxton is too damn lazy to do any research on the issue. In any event, resorting to demeaning name calling such as this has no place in a supposedly respectable publication. 2. A teenager walking along the street and confronted by a police officer who demands he or she empties his/her pockets is not going to be carrying an "essay, or - a flip chart or PowerPoint presentation" in order to present a cogent argument to the cop - not that the officer is going to listen anyway. If Claxton was such a nerd that he lugged around such items when he was in high school, no wonder no one offered him a joint. 3. Perhaps Claxton could let us know what type of thoughtful argument was presented to Parliament back in 1923 to persuade our lawmakers to ban marijuana. Hint: There was none! 4. There is no more reason to punish the users and suppliers of certain recreational drugs today than there was in the past to burn witches, lynch blacks or gas Jews. Alan Randell, Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom