Pubdate: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) Copyright: 2004 New Zealand Herald Contact: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300 Author: D. B. Campbell Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1072/a02.html Cited: NORML New Zealand http://www.norml.org.nz POISONED POT It appears that the pro-cannabis group, Norml, is more concerned about public safety than the police who are sworn to protect it. For police to assert that getting sick through unknowingly smoking marijuana poisoned by the police is "the risk you take", is a dereliction of responsibility. The only reason police have taken to spraying plants rather than pulling them up and burning them is to save money. If someone dies through this cavalier policy, will the response of the police be just "tough luck"? This is proof of the moral bankruptcy of prohibition and the black market it creates. It does not deter users and does not address social or health problems; it merely puts people at greater risk. How much land has been poisoned and how many innocent animals have suffered through police spraying operations? Where have these operations been carried out? We have a right to know. D. B. Campbell Waterview (Auckland) - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake