Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jul 2007
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2007 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n830/a01.html
Author: Kirk Muse

SAFE ADDICTIONS, LEGAL POT AND GRAMMAR

Re: Legalizing Pot Makes Sense, editorial, July 11.

Kudos for your outstanding editorial. But, actually, your headline 
should have been "Re-legalizing pot makes sense," because, for most 
of Canadian and U.S. history, pot was legal.

Most drug-war cheerleaders proclaim that, if marijuana were 
re-legalized, usage would skyrocket. I believe that the Netherlands 
example shows that this probably would not happen. But suppose that 
pot use did increase; suppose pot use among adults doubled. Would 
this necessarily be bad? I submit that it would not.

As pot use increases, alcohol use declines. Most marijuana users 
don't drink alcohol, but those that do drink alcohol, drink 
substantially less than non-marijuana users. I believe that most 
doctors would agree that heavy marijuana use is a lot less harmful 
than heavy alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use can and does kill. No 
amount of marijuana has ever killed anyone.

Kirk Muse, Mesa, Ariz.
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