Pubdate: Mon, 11 Jun 2001
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: John Gordon
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n926/a03.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

A 'PHATTY' HURTS NO ONE

To the editor:

Re: "Hypnotist helps potheads to butt out," by David Carrigg, May 20.

It's no wonder that only 40 people showed up for the Winnipeg gig of 
anti-pot  campaigner and hypnotist M. Vance Romane, who's rolling into 
"Rivercity" this month to use massive hypnotic suggestions to get people to 
accept his bogus "raft of medical evidence" highlighting the dangers of pot 
consumption.

Cannabis is less "addictive" than caffeine and not physically addictive at 
all. Ask  people who know real addictions like coke, heroin, meth and 
alcohol, and they'll tell you marijuana provides solace and keeps them off 
the hard stuff.

The only "gateway" occurs when prohibition does not distinguish between 
drugs and there is no safe place for people to acquire and enjoy their 
intelligent preference. The real harm is the legal and social fallout. 
About half of all drug arrests in Canada are for simple possession of small 
amounts of marijuana: about 31, 299 convictions in 1995 alone.

Many lead to jail terms or fines and all result in that indelible social 
tattoo: a criminal record forcing higher aspirations to go up in a puff of 
smoke.

This song and dance man's interpretation of B.C. Marijuana Party 
policy-"They want to OK prostitution, get rid of the DARE drugs program and 
have free use of guns," is a gross oversimplification.

Lying to young people about the "dangers" of marijuana is 
counter-productive, as has been shown by the failed DARE program in our 
schools. I consider M. Vance Romane nothing more than a bigot and am 
surprised you gave him space. If I could afford the cost of his show-"about 
the same as half an ounce of pot"-I  would go and smoke a big phatty of 
Marc Emery's best and listen to the trippy music.

John Gordon , B.C. Marijuana Party, Vancouver
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