Date: Mon, 09 Sep 2002
Subject: #254 Letters To Canadian Editors Needed Now!
Letters to Canadian Editors Needed Now!
*******************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE**********************
DrugSense FOCUS Alert #254 Mon, 9 September, 2002
Now that the Canadian Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs in a
600 page report has strongly recommended legalizing cannabis, the
editorial and opinion writers of Canadian newspapers are having a
field day. Below we have provided contact information and links to
these opinions.
Please review these items and write Letters to the Editor to as many
of these newspapers as possible. We are not going to provide a sample
letter because (1) what folks who live in Canada would write is likely
to be different than folks from outside Canada (2) each item deserves
consideration and writing on it’s merits. Of course those that support
legalization have earned praise for their bold position. Many
recommend only decriminalization, a 10% solution that leaves the large
majority of harm caused by the laws in place.
Some appear to have rushed to judgement without even reading the
report. Otherwise why would they throw out red herrings that are
clearly and well answered in the report? You can read the actual
report – and we suggest reading at least the summary for letter ideas
– on line at http://www.parl.gc.ca/illegal-drugs.asp – click on
reports. There is also a very good set of info, links, etc. at
http://cannabislink.ca/gov/senatesumm.htm
An analysis by Canadian Matt Elrod is at http://www.drugsense.org/dsw/2002/ds02.n266.html#sec5
and another from the states is at http://www.drcnet.org/wol/253.html#canadiansenate
Thanks for your effort and support.
It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do
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PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID (Letter,
email messages, etc.)
Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent
letter list (sentlte@mapinc.org) if you are subscribed, or by
E-mailing a copy directly to MGreer@mapinc.org if you are not
subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list so others
can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.
This is _Very_ Important as it is one very effective way of gauging
our impact and effectiveness.
Subscribing to the Sent LTE list (sentlte@mapinc.org) will help you to
review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
efforts.
To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
and/or http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form
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CONTACT INFO
Below we have tried to fit each of the editorials and opinion items
into one of three groups. Some are clear fits. For others it is a hard
call – so you may well believe we have made a wrong choice. Some of
the authors appear to be good at not being very clear where they
stand. This just adds our recommendation that Letter writers look at
each item and write based on what the item says.
OPINION ITEMS THAT SUPPORT THE SENATE COMMITTEE REPORT:
Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
letters@thecitizen.southam.ca
Editorial: Legalizing Marijuana Is the Logical and Proper Thing to Do
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/2B6CAA5F-36C5-4302-A70F-004E5133B873
Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
letters@freepress.mb.ca
Editorial: Legalize Cannabis
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1668/a08.html
StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
spnews@thesp.com
Editorial: Senate Pot Ideas Worth Adopting
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/F5EA6AC2-1F62-4B5E-91BE-C65CFCCDEA60
Daily News, The (CN NS)
letterstoeditor@hfxnews.southam.ca
Editorial: Senate Surprises Us On Legal Pot
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/CCE506B7-7749-420A-85C8-BA1A434BEA9F
Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) letters@thecitizen.southam.ca OPED:
Legalization Can No Longer Be Snickered Away http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/F4B2505D-AC84-45BE-8D34-D680C570FEA9
Globe and Mail (Canada) letters@globeandmail.ca OPED: Taking The High
Road http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1654/a11.html
Sentinel Review (CN ON)
sentinel@annexweb.com
Editorial: It’s Time To Legalize Pot
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1663/a04.html
North Bay Nugget (CN ON)
nugget@nugget.ca
Editorial: Senate Goes the Extra Mile
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1676/a07.html
Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
letters@edm.sunpub.com
Column: Smoke Gets In Scott’s Eyes
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1678/a10.html
Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
callet@sunpub.com
Column: Unenforced Marijuana Laws Breed Only Contempt for Legal System
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1693/a01.html
ITEMS THAT ONLY SUPPORT DECRIMINALIZATION:
Globe and Mail (Canada)
letters@globeandmail.ca
Editorial: Don’t Legalize Pot, Decriminalize It
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1681/a12.html
Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
oped@ott.sunpub.com
Editorial: Going To Pot
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1662/a06.html
Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
sunletters@pacpress.southam.ca
Editorial: Let’s Decriminalize Marijuana As an Interim Step to Saner Law
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/A7FF38FE-C103-42D8-8B8C-A1116AA09E27
National Post (Canada)
letters@nationalpost.com
Editorial: Smoking Marijuana Shouldn’t Be A Crime
http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary/story.html?id={5C830FDB-2544-4824-8894-B237EA9FE933}
Toronto Star (CN ON)
lettertoed@thestar.com
Editorial: Senate Report Goes Up In Smoke
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1674/a08.html
Toronto Sun (CN ON)
editor@sunpub.com
Editorial: Taking It One Toke At A Time
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1696/a07.html
Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
callet@sunpub.com
Editorial: Pipe Dream
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1655/a02.html
Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
letters@thegazette.southam.ca
Editorial: Don’t Legalize It
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/AFBD7F8E-584F-498A-847B-6F54A8B9B367
Halifax Herald (CN NS)
letters@herald.ns.ca
Editorial: No Pot Of Gold
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1666/a01.html
Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
letters@thejournal.southam.ca
Editorial: Go Slow On Marijuana Change
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/8F561FD6-3EC5-4D10-B15F-D45B8434BC54
Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON)
letters@therecord.com
Editorial: The Senate’s Fine Smoke Signals
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1675/a04.html
Province, The (CN BC)
provletters@pacpress.southam.ca
Editorial: It’s Time to Light a Fire Under Marijuana Use
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/E0B85BBB-8BC7-49C2-9B54-C2358FF9EDF5
Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
editor@wpgsun.com
Editorial: Smoke Clouds Reason
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1662/a07.html
Calgary Herald (CN AB) letters@theherald.southam.ca OPED: Senate One
Toke Over The Line On Legalizing Pot http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/DFEF7CA2-00F8-4A83-BDED-AA0F0E3E2B99
Lethbridge Herald (CN AB)
letters@lethbridgeherald.com
Editorial: Legalized Pot Not a Solution
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1675/a06.html
Expositor, The (CN ON)
opinion@brt.southam.ca
Editorial: Marijuana Madness
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1677/a01.html
Guelph Mercury (CN ON)
editor@guelphmercury.com
Editorial: Marijuana Debate Calls For Caution
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1680/a04.html
ONES THAT APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE CURRENT LAWS:
Calgary Herald (CN AB)
letters@theherald.southam.ca
Editorial: Dopey Idea
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/481E9EED-06D5-4BBD-8DE0-F3E3FE777D80
Alliston Herald (CN ON)
herald@interhop.net
CN ON: Editorial: Pot Luck
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1680/a09.html
Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
letters@leaderpost.com
Editorial: Legalization Not The Answer
http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/DDBE98AA-355F-4E1E-8EA7-366F47E42E86
Lindsay Daily Post (CN ON)
ineditorial@thepost.ca
Editorial: Not the time to legalize marijuana
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1687/a06.html
Additional opinion items on this topic MAP posted in the days ahead
should be easy to spot here http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm and
general news items about cannabis in Canada here http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm
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EXTRA CREDIT
Thank the Senate committee for their fine report by sending a note to
IDDI@sen.parl.gc.ca
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ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing efforts, Please See:
Writer’s Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/
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Prepared by: Richard Lake http://www.mapinc.org/rlake/ Focus Alert
Specialist