Pubdate: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU) Copyright: 2002 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274 Author: Rick Noble TREAT MARIJUANA AS WE DO ALCOHOL I think that it is important to note that even the most adamant marijuana advocates are not calling for complete legalization (Gazette, Oct. 24, "Tolerance for legal pot higher"). We are merely asking that marijuana receive the same status as alcohol. In your article, Dr Raju Hajela claims that "a teenager's brain isn't mature enough to deal with ... psychoactives." This type of argument is common and entirely moot, as we are not advocating that marijuana become accessible to teens. There is an age limit to alcohol consumption; and there should be an age limit for marijuana consumption. It is illegal to drink and drive; it should be illegal to smoke and drive. You can only drink at home or in designated places; you should only be permitted to smoke at home or in designated places. It is a great hypocrisy that alcohol, which has been demonstrated time and time again to impair functioning and to be hazardous to health, is legal whereas the consumption of marijuana, which has not been the cause of any deaths, leads to a criminal record. This hypocrisy must be corrected. Rick Noble Montreal - --- MAP posted-by: Alex