RESPONSE TO MP MARTIN

Kudos to Liberal MP Keith Martin for once again calling for drug
policy reform ("Marijuana reform is necessary," July 1). Encouraging
cannabis consumers to become self-sufficient makes perfect sense, even
if this encouragement comes in the form of a civil penalty.

However, it should be noted that, contrary to Dr. Martin's
recollection, the Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs
unanimously recommended that cannabis be legalized, taxed and
regulated like alcohol, not merely decriminalized. Decriminalization,
the replacement of criminal penalties with civil fines, would leave
the black market intact, and as the committee explained, "this model
has no greater capacity for prevention or education than a strict
prohibition model."

The committee observed, "Some will say that decriminalization is a
step in the right direction, one that gives society time to become
accustomed to cannabis, to convince opponents that chaos will not
result, to adopt effective preventive measures. We believe however
that this approach is in fact the worst-case scenario, depriving the
state of a regulatory tool needed in dealing with the entire
production, distribution, and consumption network, and delivering a
rather hypocritical message at the same time."

Nevertheless, I admire Dr. Martin's courage and leadership in
championing more progressive drug policies, especially as his party
seems to be wantonly following Stephen Harper in the opposite
direction, supporting the conservative Bill C-15 that would, flying in
the face of all the evidence, impose mandatory minimum prison
sentences for drug law offenses, including six months in prison for
cultivating a few cannabis plants for medicinal or personal use.

Matthew M. Elrod
Metchosin