Pubdate: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 Source: Ipswich Advertiser (Australia) Contact: 331 Brisbane St, West Ipswich, QLD, 4305 Author: Arnold Jago NOT SOFT DRUG THE ALP (and certain tame social workers and academics) are still saying marijuana is a 'soft' drug and should be legalised. Scientific research, meanwhile, keeps piling up more and more evidence proving the opposite. Scanning techniques being researched at Sydney's Westmead Hospital are revealing gross chemical changes in the brain which result from repeated marijuana use. Westmead researcher, Dr John Anderson, says that in terms of long-term brain functioning. "Marijuana is one of the worst drugs. I'm quite shocked by the findings." Arnold Jago, Mildura - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart