Pubdate: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 Source: Press, The (York, UK) Copyright: 2007 Newsquest Media Group Contact: http://www.yorkpress.co.uk Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3111 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n000/a247.html Author: Aled Jones ALCOHOL IS THE PUPPY COMPARED WITH THE USE OF CANNABIS With reference to the letter from Howard J Wooldridge (Nice try Mr Jones, November 26), I'm appalled by his gross misrepresentations about the mind-altering drug known as cannabis. I really do wish these self-styled "experts" would keep quiet. The writer claims that cannabis's drawbacks are a puppy compared with the use of alcohol. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those who regard alcohol as a much stronger drug are living completely in the past - the hippy era to be precise. While it's true that cannabis grown in the 60s and 70s had quite low THC levels, the same cannot be said of modern high-grade cannabis. It's a hard drug that's certainly not to be used by people who need to drive cars or operate equipment/machinery etc. If anything, Mr Wooldridge, it's alcohol which is the puppy compared with the use of cannabis. Alcohol is always sold under strict guidelines with the alcoholic percentage clearly stated. Not so with cannabis, which is peddled on the streets without any health warnings at all. People who smoke cannabis have simply no idea what THC levels they are taking into their blood streams. Cannabis has become a very strong drug and trying to make people think it's a chill-out drug from the 1960s is both unreasonable and highly dangerous. Aled Jones, Mount Crescent, Bridlington - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake