Pubdate: Tue, 22 May 2001
Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Hacker Press Ltd.
Contact:  604-853-9808
Website: http://www.abbynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155
Author: Karen Gardner
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot (Marijuana)

MARIJUANA MYTH NEEDS TO BE ERADICATED

Editor, The News:

I have read through Mr. Eric Myrholm's letter to the editor ('More 
pot, more rot,' Opinion, May 15) several times.

With all due respect to Mr. Myrholm, the information in his letter 
reveals to me that he has never met anyone who has smoked marijuana 
because the information he presents as facts are grossly incorrect.

Before I say why Mr. Myrholm is misinformed, I will give you a 
picture of who I am.

I am a 49-year-old married woman and mother of two children aged 6 and 5.

I worked full time in the work force from 1969 until adopting my two 
children in 1996. In addition, I have a diploma in Christian Studies 
from Regent College and have about two-thirds of a B.A. degree from 
SFU.

(I am presently going part-time as a correspondence student in order 
to complete my B.A. degree).

I love my family, both nuclear and extended, work hard raising my 
children and organizing our busy household and try to live a 
lifestyle which reflects that I have Jesus Christ as my Lord and 
Saviour.

I first smoked a little marijuana in my late teens, smoked it 
frequently in my 20s, not at all in my 30s and very occasionally in 
my 40s.

In point form: I do not have a "dependency" as I can happily go for 
long, extended periods of time without even thinking about smoking 
marijuana.

I am not a "chronically passive individual" and, while I do not know 
a large number of marijuana smokers, I know of no one who smokes 
marijuana who is chronically passive.

I also know of no marijuana users who don't work and exist only to 
smoke marijuana. I also know for a fact that it in no way leads 
people to use "hard drugs."

Having said all of this, I do not advocate its use for children. Like 
alcohol and tobacco, its use should be age-restricted.

It is absolute nonsense, however, that marijuana (and hashish) should 
be illegal.

It is not the "boogey-man" type of drug that Mr. Myrholm and other 
misinformed persons say that it is.

It is also an absolute waste of taxpayers' money and law enforcement 
individuals' time to prosecute individuals for using and selling 
marijuana and hashish.

If marijuana and hashish were legalized for adult persons to use as 
they responsibly saw fit, it would eliminate the need for criminals 
(i.e. Hells Angels, mafia gangsters and the like) to become involved 
in its distribution.

You are stating gross mis-information, Mr. Myrholm, as if they were hard facts.

You are wrong.

Karen Gardner
Mission
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe