Pubdate: Tue, 01 Oct 2002
Source: Cambridge Reporter, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The Cambridge Reporter
Contact:  http://www.cambridge-reporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1470
Author: Craig Stanhope

REEFER MADNESS GOOD FOR LAUGHS

This is in response to certain individuals who claim marijuana causes 
people to become "psychotic" or "zombies."

This is totally propaganda. There is no proof to these claims whatsoever, 
except in '40s and '50s propaganda films such as Reefer Madness that people 
watch now as comedy films due to their ludicrous portrayal of pot smokers.

I'd also like to commend these people on their lame attempts at using 
propaganda tools to get their point across. Statements such as "marijuana 
is more addictive than cigarettes."

This may have been effective in the '50s or possibly in your church, but, 
hopefully most of the readers see this statement as it is. Garbage. You are 
twisting the meaning of addiction with that of habit.

Two very similar meanings, but not the same. Nicotine is an addictive drug. 
According to the Surgeon General it's equally addictive to cocaine or 
heroin. Marijuana contains no addictive drugs, not naturally anyways.

Some dealers may add substances making the drug more harmful or even 
addictive but if legalized, this would hopefully change that (although 
cigarettes are legal and tobacco companies add all kinds of deadly and 
addictive chemicals to their product).

Smoking pot can be "habit forming" but anything can be. Overeating can be 
habit forming, masturbation can be habit forming, church can be habit 
forming. Should we make all these illegal too?

Two things I can tell you as an ex-pot smoker myself:

1. You'll never see fights outside of a pot bar like you do now outside of 
the majority of alcohol bars.

2. Many people you know may be pot smokers and you would never be able to tell.

Craig Stanhope

Cambridge
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MAP posted-by: Beth