Substantial column from a fairly right-wing newspaper.
I have smoked marijuana with members of Parliament, RCMP officers, teachers, artists, pharmacists, lawyers and many other upstanding Canadian citizens.
I am asking the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reconsider a portion of its new crime bill and remove minimum sentencing for marijuana. In fact, legalizing marijuana would be the best solution if you don’t want to make criminals out of nearly 20 per cent of the population.
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Marijuana hasn’t caused a single death, unlike alcohol which can be linked to many deaths, injuries, violent acts and social problems. If you base your new law on concern for public safety, then it stands to reason that the manufacture and possession of alcohol must made be illegal. If alcohol remains decriminalized, then there is no basis for marijuana to remain in the Criminal Code, let alone subject Canadians to prison terms.
My position is keep both alcohol and marijuana out of the criminal code. I’m not with the potheads who put down alcohol. I like ’em both. Especially together.
