Drug-driving needs fixing

Alison Mau argues that when voting on the cannabis referendum it would be better to vote ‘‘yes’’ even though the outcome may not be perfect (‘‘When will we give up on perfect and vote for better?’’, August 30). Like her, I support decriminalisation and have no wish to see people charged and incarcerated for minor offences. I also support the idea of taking cannabis out of the hands of the gangs.

My main concern is cannabisimpaired driving. We have a strong legislative and enforcement framework to control alcohol and driving, yet every year there are numerous deaths and injuries due to alcohol.

David Coy, Hamilton

I was amazed to read the letter from a group of cannabis users last Sunday. I cannot understand why they want to make the use of cannabis normal and acceptable. Most of us can have an enjoyable and wonderful life without having to take a drug.

In the letter they state that more than 80 per cent of the population have used cannabis. What a lot of nonsense. This would mean that even young children are using it. None of my family and friends know anyone who has used cannabis.

I travel regularly to places that have legalised cannabis and I have seen the adverse effects on the communities.

The drug stays in your body for days (not like alcohol) so if you use it on a Saturday night you still have the effects on Monday/Tuesday. Companies have to regularly check their employees (particularly drivers and machinery operators) to make sure that they are drugfree and therefore safe.

Gangs will still control the bulk of the supply as buying from them will be a lot cheaper than from the licenced suppliers. The gangs do not have to pay tax, shop rental etc.

There are so many reasons to

vote ‘‘no’’ in the upcoming referendum and I struggle to find one reason to vote ‘‘yes’’.

G. Harris, Pukekohe