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That, or once you reach adulthood, the rituals of adolescence such as smok- ing pot, should be dropped as you try to be a responsible adult who understands the importance obeying the law and set- ting an example for your children. It is a drug that is probably no more harmful than alcohol, which is legal, generates tax revenue and creates jobs in which you do not end up in prison. Either we will have to accept that marijuana use is so deeply ingrained in our society that it is unfair and unwise to be throwing people in jail and foster- ing an underworld of crime to’ feed our demand. Some day we Will have to own up to this problem. It is just the Me Generation now a little older, who will not forgo that par. ticular kind of high they can only get from marijuana and will let others break the law to supply them? Is it the fact that it’s illegal that adds to the thrill? lETTERS POLICY The Sunâ€"Th'hunv welcomes your letters All submissions mucl be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number. name and address The Sunâ€"Tribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for claritv and space. Clearly there is a disconnect between people’s personal behaviour and its con- sequences out there in our community. and, as a criminal enterprise often in the centre of residential neighbourhoods, a public safety risk Meanwhile, police regularly bust grow-ops, which can be a fire hazard Nevertheless, many Canadians toke more boldly than eyer, thinking they can pufi with impunity when they are really at the mercy of the police if caught. Their idea never becanie law and they were later defeated. The Paul Martin Liberals wanted to decriminaiize marijuana possession while cracking down on the growers. You may have attended a party lately and found one or more of the adults qui- etly wandered off and smoked up, even though there was plenty of legal alcohol available. Those teens who got high in the 19703, ’805 or ’905 are now adults with kids of their own, but many are still smoking up. In fact, l4.per cent of adults are smoking pot with some regularity. kk It is not surprising a new study says the number and average age of pot smokers in Ontario is rising. Use of the drug once was most prevalent among teens and twenty-somethings. But now the average pot user is 31, accordingto the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, which notes smoking and drink- ing are in decline. jmason.yrmg.com Disconnect between pot use, laws Letters to the Editor The Sun-THbune 8290 Main St. StoufMIlo, ON I.“ I6? Stoufiia'lle Sun-7mm. Thursday, April 17, 2008 Editorial INTERACTIVE MEDIA Marketing 81 Advertising Manager Dawna Andrews Immonfifvrmg. mm Enrmnw Editor lim Mason W111 they eventually become a car park for the medical centre ofWhitchurch-Stouffville, when the new fire hall is completed? What will happen to the otlier adjacent Busiâ€" nesses and tenants in the block, including the fire hall? Never mind what the peasants need/want: Councillor Bartley will decide for us. If the mayor has any input, it will probably be a curling arena instead. Anything icy. The story also mentions municipalities some- times offer doctors "perks" (money) for settling in their community. No prizes for guessing if Stouffville residents will be “perky”. No, that wouldn't be allowed. . Unfortunately, with the mayor and his council cronies backing the proposal, it’s obviously “a done deal". Anyway, there are places in town that badly need upgrading; use one of them instead of closing a vefy popular, unique facility/ business. So, finally we learn the real reason, for the bowl- ing centre closure. The owner wants to give his son and friends their own medical centre. It’s doctors we'need, not more medical centres. Renovate another old building, leave bowling centre alone Re: Displaced bowlers send petition, delegation to council, April 5. Classified Manager Ann Campbell ammplvllééyrmg. mn ADVERTISING Retail Manager Smmv Allen ’IUI’N @vrmg. mm Siwifl‘l-Fibune PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot Letters to the Editor 6290 Main St. Stouflviue. 0N. MA 167 www.yor|vegion.com 33 ‘Wé? Assistant Classified hmndmuéWrmg.com Manager Bonnie Rondmu Pnopucnon Team Leader Sherry Dav JOAN MAY 8 TF )( / FFVI I, I , If iNCOME TAX OR GARDEN CLEAN up wmcu WlLLfl’ as? The arts community needs to know more about the facility. It is now time to get the public involved. get them enthused, buying bricks and seats. Making this a useful first step toward Arts Stouffville coming into being. We are in support of the new plan even though it is very small. Good things can come from small beginnings. It will take a‘ lot of imagination for groups to decide how to make the space useful. No one has come forward to my knowledge. to detail the final design and equipment that will be available. These meetings were standing mam ohl'yj filled with arts supporters and organization representaâ€" tives, only to have the council turn down the vari- ous proposals and throw cold water over the arts enthusiasts there. The limited response is hardly surprising when you look back over the last four years, and count up the number of council meetings that have been held on a theatre centre idea. Arts groups needs imagination, details to use smaller 19 on Park facility Re: Lack of applause from arts community on 19 Par_k_?, cglumnbylim Mason, April 10. mm €33 b What do you think of these issues? E-mail jmason@yrmg.com Azu til"! "I; o» Arrro I" Busmnss MANAGER Robert lazurko Emma 1N CHIEF Debora Kelly pi BNELMK SUN- TRIBUNE HAVE YOUR SAY ADVERTISIM 905-64016]; (:Imified: 1-800-743 Fax: 905-640-87 GEORGEANDJANE BISHOP " [I'm] VVHITCHI’RCHâ€"X'H)(J'H’V'Ilvljf Tribune DISTRIBUTION 905â€"640-261 2 EINTORIAI 905-640â€"261 x: 905-640â€"87 Dchmn INTERACTIVE MEDIA a TECHNOLOGY lohn Futhey H A York Region Media (Emup mmmumly nt'wxpapm The Sun»Tn’bune. published every Thursday and Saturday. is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd. a whollyowned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. Metroland is comprised of 100 community publications across Ontario. The York Region Newspaper Group includes The Liberal. sewing Richmond Hill and Thomhill. Vaughan Citizen, The Era-Banner (Newmarket/Aurora), Markham Economist Sun. Georgina AoVocate, York Region Business Times, North of the City. yorkregioncom and York Region Printing, Duuacmn. CIRCULATION SYSTEMS Lynn Push/co It won't get him in the Navy or erase the rejections at the legion, but it feels right. “It's about time the Bevin Boys were recognized for doing our part in the war.” he said. “It feels good to he finally recognized as a veteran. even after it taking 60 years.” It feels so good, the Parkview Village resident wears the badge whenever he goes out. As he should. Iim Mason is editor of The Sun- DIRBCIOR, ADVERTISING YORK REGION PRINTING a DISTRIBUTION GENERAL MANAGER Barry Black ' Bob Dean “I think it would give them some recâ€" ognition for the tremendous work that they have done," he said. Yes, indeedy. Ken met his wife, Doreen, when they worked in a cotton mill after the war. They moved to Canada in 1954, settled on the west side of the GTA and had two children. Ken worked for Coleman and the Halton school board before retiring. But the value of his days in the mines as part of the war effort always nagged at him. At least until his badge arrived in the mail this spring. Then-prime minister Tony Blair pro- vided some ointment more than six decades later, promising the creation of special badges for the boys. After fours studying to be a signaller in the sea cadets, he wanted to join the Navy. But, at age 18, he was conscripted at random to work in the coal mines during the war. That he did, for four years. He was one of the Bevin Boys, as the drafted coal miners were called. “They have never been honoured and were never looked at as part of the forces,” said his daughter, Anne Salâ€" vagna. “He was even turned away at any (Royal British legion) when he tried to apply stating he was a veteran. They told him no he was not considered a veteran. It was always a sore spot with him." Now 81 and retired to StoutTville, Ken was a teenager growing up in England during the Second World War. Ken Oakes just wanted a little respect. Sixty years later, he's got it, and from a prime minister of Great Britain, no less. SEW-Tribune 60-year wait for recognition finally over with Jim Mason Off The Top