Pubdate: Mon, 24 Jun 2002
Source: Peak, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Peak Publications Society
Contact:  http://www.peak.sfu.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/775
Author: Wayne Phillips
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1111/a05.html

"...DON'T CRITICISE IT"

Re: It's about drugs! (June 10, 2002).

Recently, Dr. Patrick Smith of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 
told the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs that "if we discovered 
three drugs today, and they were alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, there 
isn't an expert in the country who would recommend that marijuana be the 
one that is banned based on individual and societal harm."

Marijuana is known to be safer than alcohol or tobacco. Why should it be 
illegal?

If there isn't an expert in the country who would recommend that marijuana 
be the one that is banned based on individual and societal harm, then the 
prohibition of cannabis is a mistake.

While the war on drugs has allowed soft drugs like marijuana to be dealt 
with in conjunction with heroin and cocaine, increasing the chance of pot 
smokers to "overlap,"cannabis prohibition creates problems where there need 
not be any. The policy which prohibits cannabis is also the catalyst 
fueling marijuana-growing operations. The consequence thereof exposes the 
public's safety to increasingly dangerous situations, which cannot be 
justified.

Government could use more effective means to safeguard the public while 
striking a major victory against black market profiteers and vernal 
marijuana usage by regulating and taxing marijuana like alcohol.

WAYNE PHILLIPS
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