Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jul 2007
Source: Columbian, The (WA)
Copyright: 2007 The Columbian Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.columbian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/92
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n742/a08.html?67397
Author: Sandra S. Bennett

MARIJUANA IS GATEWAY DRUG

Most of the pro-legalization letters I read in The Columbian are 
letters that have been scatter-shot around the country to smaller 
newspapers by the likes of Robert Sharpe and other members of the 
drug culture who are not even citizens of Washington state.

An opinion is one thing, but their letters are full of 
misinformation. Sharpe's last rant on June 21, "Admit drug war is 
failing," claimed that The Netherlands had successfully reduced 
overall drug use by regulating marijuana sales. However, based on a 
plethora of news stories coming out of that country, this is simply 
not true. The situation has become so decadent that the government is 
now taking strong measures to reverse the laissez-faire policy, 
beginning by shutting down the country's infamous marijuana coffee 
shops, as reported June 24, "Changing social values put Netherlands 
on collision course with its liberal past."

Meth, heroin and cocaine addicts are not the ones out there trying to 
legalize drugs. They are well aware that marijuana is the gateway 
drug into the abyss of their addiction. Today's marijuana is so 
potent that it has become one of the leading causes of drug-related 
medical and psychiatric emergency room episodes.

We definitely don't need easier access to this or any other drug.

Sandra S. Bennett La Center
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