Sends the wrong message

Scant weeks ago, prime minister wannabe Justin Trudeau said if he attains that job he will legalize and regulate marijuana to keep it from our youth. This seems a faulty rationale as we already know that approach has failed miserably protecting them from tobacco or alcohol.

His admission now that he had used pot since becoming an MP not only shows his total disrespect for Canada’s drug laws, but does not send the correct message to those very youth he wants to protect from this narcotic. It also raises the question about the real reason for his push for legalization. As a high profile role model MP and potential PM he may unwittingly be encouraging our young to use marijuana.

Having enforced Canada’s drug laws for many years, I feel any decision to legalize marijuana should only be done after a thorough debate of the pros and cons. We seem to keep hearing how harmless this narcotic is without receiving the other side of this. Many recent studies point out that currently hydroponically produced pot is 80 per cent more potent than in my days in enforcement. This makes this narcotic potentially more addictive. Other studies have shown marijuana use, especially among our youth, can lead to psychosis and other mental issues. The last thing our healthcare system are needs is even more challenging heal issues.

It would be nice if Trudeau would give a consistent message and think of what repercussions his views have on Canadians.