To the editor,
Well, a day I’d hoped would never come, finally has: Cannabis/marijuana cultivation, sale and consumption is now legal in all of Canada – and I don’t really know how to deal with it.
I’ve always prided myself on being very open-minded and accepting of different opinions, ways of living and doing things, to be kind and respectful of different races and cultures. But I’m from the ‘Just say no’ and ‘Users are losers’ generation, taught right from a very early age that people who use or sell drugs, such as marijuana, hashish and cocaine, should be shunned, shamed and reported to the police.
In my self-righteous glory I, more than once, severed ties with a friend, family member or co-worker after finding out that they took drugs, whether it was for recreation or an unrelenting addiction. It didn’t matter to me why they imbibed, it was illegal – not to mention extremely bad for their mental and physical health – so, I was ‘helping’ them by reporting them to the police.
Now, all of a sudden, it’s legal to light up a doobie on a public street, while camping in the mountains or hanging out with friends at an oceanside bonfire party. What am I supposed to do with my self-righteous indignation, now? How am I supposed to accept this disgusting habit as the new ‘normal,’ at work, on the street or at social events? I’m very confused and conflicted.
Kelly J. Crawford, Nanaimo
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The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin. If you have a different view, we encourage you to write to us or contribute to the discussion below.