Pubdate: Sat, 14 Jul 2007
Source: Review, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2907
Author: Russell Barth

DRUG PARAPHERNALIA SHOULD NOT BE BANNED, JUST HIDDEN

Re: Bubble gum and blunt wraps

As a federal medical marijuana licence holder, who is  also married to
one, I would like to point some things  out.

1) This paraphernalia should be behind the counter, or  at the very
least, out of the line of sight of minors.  Identification should be
required. We should be selling  pot the same way.

2) Pipes and papers and any other marijuana smoking  appliances could
be used for medical use, so they  cannot be completely prohibited.

Medical marijuana users need to get their gear  someplace.

3) Junk food, which we sell and advertise to kids, will  kill many
times more Canadians than all illegal drugs  combined. In that light,
it is hard to think of drugs  as the "scourge" the cops call them.
Maybe we should be  "cracking down" on sugar and fat instead.

4) Banning the sale of these things will turn them into  a
black-market commodity. If the availability of drugs  such as pot is
any indication, a deeper prohibition and  added enforcement will
likely cause more problems than  it will fix.

5) Booze and drugs of all kinds are advertised  constantly around kids
on TV and in print. To focus on  one set of drugs or paraphernalia,
while allowing kids  to watch beer and Viagra commercials and purchase
  sugar, caffeine, and energy drinks is hypocritical in  the extreme.
It is beyond absurd.

6) Salvia is mostly harmless, and not fun enough to do  more than a
few times. But one can get seriously  injured while they are tripping.
Bring a babysitter!

Beyond that, kids should find more interesting things  to do than take
drugs.

RUSSELL BARTH

Ottawa
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath