Pubdate: Fri, 02 May 2003
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Patricia Schwarz
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk

CHECK UP ON WHAT POLICE SAY

THE POTENCY of street heroin is of enormous concern for society because any 
increase in heroin potency always leads to overdose deaths from addicts not 
used to the higher potency.

The potency of marijuana is not a matter for great public concern, because 
nobody can overdose on THC. It is completely impossible to die of a THC 
overdose from smoking pot of any potency. The fear of high-potency 
marijuana is being artificially manufactured by law enforcement, using the 
justifiable fear of high-potency heroin.

We are being manipulated by law enforcement officials who are creating a 
fear of a danger that does not exist. They profit financially from this 
fear because the government gives them more money when people are more 
afraid. And it's easy for them to do, because journalists these days tend 
to print anything the police say and not check to see whether they are lying.

They do lie, they lie all the time, and I wish journalists would check up 
on what police say more often.

Patricia Schwarz

(Our week-long pot series has been covering the issue from many perspectives.)
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MAP posted-by: Alex