Pubdate: Sun, 09 Feb 2003
Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2003 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Ken Rimmer
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n171/a05.html?1144

RESEARCH TOPIC

I can't understand where Laura Langille (The Sunday Herald, Feb. 2 letter)
is getting her information, but I think she should do some research.

Nowhere in any study is there evidence that one joint is as harmful as 10
cigarettes. The fact is marijuana leaf contains much more tar than
cigarettes, but marijuana flowers (bud) contain far less. It is the flower
of marijuana that is smoked!

Decriminalization was NOT initiated for medicinal reasons. Decriminalization
does absolutely nothing for patients seeking this legal medicine who are
still being denied access, because some judge just gave Health Canada yet
more time to fix its broken system.

Doctors cannot prescribe marijuana: 1) because prohibition has hindered
research and marijuana is not a certified medicine (drug); 2) the
pharmaceutical companies are not profiting from it yet.

As a manager of the Canadian Medical Marijuana Association, I am horrified
by how little Canadians seem to know about a hot current issue. Nice work,
media people!

Ken Rimmer, Montreal
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MAP posted-by: Josh