Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: F. G. Higgs LIBERAL RECOGNITION OF FAILED WAR ON DRUGS SHOWS 'JAM' Re: Liberals have gone to pot to renew party in the West, Jan. 16 Finally, some sanity emerges on Canada's political landscape. Liberal leader Bob Rae got it exactly right, "The war on drugs has been a complete bust!" True, North American society has yet to get alcohol abuse under total control, but the regulation in place today is far more thoughtful than prohibition ever was. However, as with tobacco, alcohol use is the subject of tough measures, starting with advertising, price, avail-ability, use and abuse. Why not marijuana? Maybe, just maybe, the vicious, counterproductive recycling of crime and criminals, with the attendant loss of non- taxable riches, could be unravelled. Surely we need to start somewhere, and not on the foundation of past failure. There is a whole "industry" with vested interests on both sides of Canada's drug laws. It will be tough. Glad the Liberals have the jam and are pre-pared to do some heavy lifting. F.G. Higgs Pitt Meadows - --- MAP posted-by: Matt