Pubdate: Sat, 07 Jun 2003 Source: London Free Press (CN ON) Copyright: 2003 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation. Contact: http://www.fyilondon.com/londonfreepress/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243 Author: Ron Jennings Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) CLEARER HEADS URGED IN MARIJUANA DEBATE Regarding the letter, Changes urged in proposed pot bill (June 4). Perhaps Michelle Hyde should spend less time listening to what someone told her about marijuana having the same effect as alcohol and more time actually researching some of the studies that have been done over the last few decades about marijuana. These studies, including two recently presented over the last few weeks on the Discovery channel program Daily Planet (a science news show), clearly illustrate and prove marijuana has nowhere near the same effect as alcohol, which is a depressant. If people were to rely more on facts that have been derived through a scientific method, instead of just what people have told them, maybe we'd get some clearer heads prevailing, instead of listening to decades-old rhetoric being spewed by people who are (maybe by accident) ignorant of the facts and have nothing better to do than try to control what other people do with their lives. Furthermore, to complain about the cost of medical care for people who choose to smoke it is ridiculous. Would you deny someone who was in a car accident medical care, because they chose to drive? Ron Jennings, London - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager