Pubdate: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 Source: Sun, The (WA) Copyright: 2002 SunLink Contact: http://www.thesunlink.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1424 Author: Alex Hepler Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n719/a10.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) USE, ABUSE NOT THE SAME To the Editor Re Heidi Hottinger's recent column on drug abuse: Our culture is one of taboos. In parts of the world where wine is on the table for kids to be exposed to at an early age there is no mystique. Ditto for women lying on the beach, topless. Young kids smoke cigarettes now, more than ever only because they have been told so often not to. Why do we not see the difference between alcohol or marijuana use and its abuse? Is it always abuse because a person is below an arbitrary age limit? (That age limit should be 18, not 21.) Ever heard of a person dying of alcohol poisoning because of drinking at a frat initiation, etc.? It happens. They do not OD on marijuana, but marijuana is the big taboo. It should be just as legal as a glass of wine. Alex Hepler, Kingston, WA - --- MAP posted-by: Alex