YOU report the conviction and incarceration of a mother and daughter caught at different Scottish airports with cannabis in their luggage ("Drugs mother and daughter are jailed", The Herald, January 10). Their combined period of incarceration and the policing and prosecution costs will rob the public purse of considerably more than the £200,000 street-value of their drug consignment.

The use of cannabis is endemic and it is readily available. Will these convictions reduce the level of cannabis availability? No. Will it change the drug habits of Scottish users. No. Will it contribute in any way to improving the lives of all Scots. No. If cannabis were to be legalised would that make matters worse? No, some would contend there would be a marked improvement. Could the public funds used in this particular exercise have been put to productive use elsewhere? Yes.

Prohibition does not work, I know that, you know that, why doesn’t the state accept this as fact?

David J Crawford, Glasgow G12.