PUT THIS (PAPER) IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT

Re: Knocking down police ignores the truth (Letters, NewsLeader, Jan. 28)

"Why don't we throw our hands in the air and let criminals be
criminals," says Mr. Di Cesare in his letter.

Not necessary. All that is needed is for marijuana to be legalized,
for 90 per cent of the problem would vanish, along with our crushing
cost of trying to win a unwinnable battle. I fear that if we continue
the way we are, this country will become like Mexico, where the gangs
are so powerful they murder or buy off anyone who opposes them. Don't
think it can't happen. The crusade against marijuana was started by an
evangelist in the U.S.A. Organizations in the U.S. working to have
marijuana outlawed launched a fear campaign, bombarding people with
propaganda that the use of marijuana would lead to them becoming
murderers, insane or heroin addicts, among other things. We now know
this to be untrue.

The Canadian government merely followed in lockstep with Washington.
Incidentally, marijuana is a very valuable crop. Fast growing, useful
for medicine, textiles, and superior to trees in the production of
pulp for paper-making.

Maybe we could even smoke our newspapers.

Russ Leach

Burnaby