Pubdate: Tue, 19 Aug 2003
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1217/a10.html
Author: Kirk Tousaw
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

SMOKING MARIJUANA LESS HARMFUL THAN OTHER ACTIVITIES

The Editor,

Re: "Thanks, bud, for B.C.'s shame," the Now letters, Aug. 9.

Tracy Hanusiak's rather hysterical letter typifies the sort of mindless 
opposition to freedom and tolerance that anti-cannabis activists are 
becoming famous for. I wonder if Ms. Hanusiak thinks that the government 
ought to prohibit alcohol (much more dangerous than cannabis), tobacco 
(more dangerous), snowboarding (more dangerous - people die and get hurt 
every year) and a whole host of other activities. Or is her passion for 
prohibition confined solely to cannabis?

In a free society, adult citizens get to choose what to do with their 
bodies so long as they don't hurt others. Cannabis smoking, which does pose 
some potential harm to the user (but not, as Ms. Hanusiak alleges, death of 
brain cells), is not harmful to others. There are no valid reasons to 
prohibit its consumption by adults. Every major study concludes that 
personal use should not be a crime. Moreover, if she really wants cannabis 
to no longer be the province's number one cash crop, she should be railing 
against prohibition. Prohibition creates black markets and, thus, massive 
profits.

By the way, jumping off a bridge is not fun. Smoking cannabis, on the other 
hand, can be a whole lot of fun. Maybe Ms. Hanusiak should give it a try 
sometime (the cannabis, not the bridge).

Kirk Tousaw, Vancouver
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