Pubdate: Mon, 16 Sep 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: Matt Brambilla, Kirk Muse
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1716/a13.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?218 (Canadian Senate Committee on 
Illegal Drugs)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

ANDER ANGERS (1)

Marc Ander can "scream until he's blue in the face" about cannabis users 
getting cancer as often as their nicotine-addicted counterparts, but that 
still won't make this particular scare story true. While it is agreed that 
inhaling smoke into your lungs increases the risk of pulmonary disease, the 
marijuana/cancer link has never been proven by science. He then goes on to 
speak of the over-all death rate as "relatively low..." I would be inclined 
to agree - zero is a pretty low number! Mr. Ander (who has conveniently 
dropped the name of the anti-smoking organisation he is affiliated with) 
clearly shows his ignorance in attempting to raise the spectre of Big 
Tobacco lacing cigarettes with "subliminal levels" of marijuana.

The Senate report never recommended selling cannabis in "corner stores," as 
Mr. Ander contends. Here's a crazy idea - why doesn't Marc actually take 
the time to read the report before attempting to frighten people with the 
cannabis boogeyman? It might go a long way in making people think he knows 
what he is talking about.

Matt Brambilla

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If letter writer Marc Ander thinks "Marijuana is bad for you" (September 
9), he is free to not use it. So far in the 5,000 year history of its use, 
there are no documented deaths. Even though the annual tobacco vs. 
marijuana kill ratio is greater than 3.5 million to zero worldwide, we 
don't arrest and jail tobacco users or sellers.

Why marijuana users and sellers?

Lots of things are bad for us, including a long list of potentially 
unhealthy foods. Does Ander propose that we start arresting and jailing 
consumers of cheeseburgers, french fries or doughnuts?

For their own good, of course.

Kirk Muse
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager