Dear James, Thank you for writing. I appreciate your thoughtful comments. The federal NDP has long advocated for the decriminalization ofmarijuana. We are the only national party that actually has a resolutionand a policy for decriminalization. And, in advocating that position, weunderstand that we need a drug policy that does not rely primarily onour legal system. This policy must be part of a broader drug strategythat focuses on a health based approach, as recommended by a 2002Special Committee on the Non-Medical Use of Drugs on which NDP MP LibbyDavies played an important role. We want Canada to take steps that reflect a more intelligent andcompassionate direction on marijuana use. Not only have our courts ruleddifferently on medical marijuana and our government respondedaccordingly but also there is a growing chorus of established opinionfor a different approach to the possession of marijuana for personaluse. Decriminalization, we believe, is a first step, but it is not the onlystep. It is a first step to what needs to be an open debate about thefailure of the current practices and the need to focus on the realissues such as: avoiding needless criminalization of citizens; andworking with youth on health and social effects - particularly impaireddriving. Once again, James, thank you for contacting me this matter. Sincerely, Jack Layton MP (Toronto-Danforth)Leader, New Democratic Party of Canada
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