Pubdate: Fri, 19 Aug 2005
Source: Langley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 BC Newspaper Group and New Media Development
Contact:  http://www.langleytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1230
Author: Chris Goodwin
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1330/a08.html?105878
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MARIJUANA LEADS TO BETTER HEALTH

Editor: I would like to respond to Mr. Bucholtz' statments (The Times, Aug. 
14) regarding cannabis legalization and its medical use.

Most medical professionals now agree that most, if not all cannabis use is 
for medical purposes, whether for sleep, pain relief, stress etc. 
Furthermore, what's been called "recreational use" by the media is defined 
as "bringing one's self back to health" in any dictionary, and doing 
something recreational is always a good healthy activity, even if it has 
harm assoiciated with it.

As for the connection tobacco use and cannabis, it's fraught with errors. 
First, tobacco is one of our biggest killers at 50,000 dead Canadians a 
year, while cannabis has never had a reported death ever. Though both are 
smoked, tobacco smoke is a toxic vaso-constrictor that tightens the airways 
and causes cancerous lesions, while cannabis smoke is a non-toxic 
vaso-diolator that opens the airways and is a safe effective expectorant of 
unwanted toxins.

Next, he claims the success of anti-tobacco programs are leading to a 
decline in its use, but fails to mention that they only work in a 
regulated, legal environment. The war on drugs is not working. It is time 
to start focusing on what works - education, treatment, prevention, and 
individual responsibility.

How would making cannabis legal and less available to children by focusing 
on education, treatment and prevention, be going "the other direction"?

Chris Goodwin,

Hamilton, Ontario
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom