National Post

Re: 'Officer, I'd Like to Report Some Stolen Marijuana,' July 19, 2003.

Here in the United States, our citizens ironically contribute to the violence we fear in an effort to combat the violence we fear.  I applaud Canadians for taking the sensible step of providing recourse for citizens who have been victims of armed robbery.

As a patient who has needed medical marijuana, I've run across a few unscrupulous vendors who were more than willing to provide a product they knew to be worthless.  I've also had friends who've come home to find their houses in disarray, and their medicine stolen, but they had no legal means to recover their substantial loss.

The frustration that accompanies having been victimized, yet unable to recover the loss -- or even to keep others from becoming victims -- by demanding the criminal be held accountable for his actions, is the only potential for violence I've ever witnessed with regard to cannabis.

As a society, we can choose to leave these victims without the aid of law enforcement and increase the potential for violent retaliation, or we can reduce violence every chance we get. I'm encouraged to see our neighbours to the north blazing the trail for us.  Hopefully we'll learn from your example!

Erin Hildebrandt, Smithsburg, Md.