Pubdate: Fri, 18 Aug 2006
Source: Nunatsiaq News (CN NU)
Copyright: 2006 Nortext Publishing Corporation
Contact:  http://www.nunatsiaq.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/694
Author: (Name withheld by request)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

WHAT ED FORGOT TO MENTION

After reading the article about "Rev." Eddie deVries, I was shocked 
to learn that there are people in this world who are that ridiculous.

It was obvious that he's a "pothead." One of the main side effects of 
smoking marijuana is that it affects your brain, which is clear with 
Ed deVries, so I'm not sure if the "Church of Universe" or "Canada's 
leading experts in cannabis research" taught this man about the 
effects of drugs, such as having difficulties in thinking and 
problem-solving, increases in the heart rate, anxiety, and panic, 
just to name a few.

The other concerns are the long-term effects; learning skills are 
impaired and facts show that people who use this drug have lower 
achievement than non-users.

Also, marijuana causes aggression and causes careless behaviour. 
People wonder why the crime rate and levels of agressiveness in 
Nunavut are so high. Ed answered it perfectly. He also mentioned that 
he is "helping young mothers feed their babies." He forgot to mention 
the harm he is doing to the babies -- smoking marijuana impairs the 
baby's development.

A "traditional healer" and a "therapist" helps decrease problems 
within one's self and the community, not create more problems and the 
last I heard, Inuit beneficiaries don't have to pay for medicare, so 
why is he charging these people for his so-called "medicine?"

As an Inuk myself, I hate to see people taking advantage of us. It is 
sad and it hurts because I see crime rates, suicide rates and poverty 
rates rise and it's people like deVries who do not help these rates 
decrease. I am writing this letter to inform people with information 
that he forgot to mention.

(Name withheld by request)

Kuujjuaq 
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman