Pubdate: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 Source: Scotsman (UK) Copyright: 2006 The Scotsman Publications Ltd Contact: http://members.scotsman.com/contact.cfm Website: http://www.scotsman.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n999/a03.html Author: Robert Sharpe ANTI-CANNABIS CRUSADE In response to your report "MPs call for drugs to be classified on basis of risks" (31 July), the most widely used illicit drug is cannabis, which occupies the place of alcohol in many non-Western countries. Unlike alcohol, cannabis has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. If health outcomes determined drugs laws instead of cultural norms, cannabis would be legal. And, in spite of clear evidence that draconian drug laws fail to deter use, the United States government is exporting a dangerous moral crusade around the world. Unfortunately, cannabis represents the counterculture to misguided reactionaries, intent on forcibly imposing their version of morality. Cannabis can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. Britain should "just say no" to the American inquisition. ROBERT SHARPE Policy analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, DC USA - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake