Wrong war

Last week Peter Hitchens’s column stated that ‘safe’ cannabis doesn’t exist. Like any drug, cannabis can be harmful if abused. Criminal records are nonetheless inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents.

Cannabis prohibition does not make the plant any safer. Cannabis prohibition compounds its dangers by granting a monopoly on distribution to drug cartels that sell methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

Cannabis prohibition is a gateway drug policy. It’s time for politicians to stop confusing the drug war’s tremendous collateral damage with a comparatively harmless plant.

Robert Sharpe, Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington DC For most of my 79 years I have been aware that we are all subject to the laws of the land, and our police forces have the unenviable job of trying to enforce these laws.

I cannot, therefore, agree with your article last week that ‘Police Scotland is harassing motorists’, who should be aware of the laws of the land, and, if prepared to ignore them, be prepared also to take the consequences.

As for the A9, there is not a lot dangerous about the road, but plenty of dangerous, impatient drivers. Is all this a good case for the proposed driverless cars, which I hope I never have to experience?

James Reid, Dundee