Pubdate: Wed, 28 May 2008
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2008 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n534/a04.html
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n534/a05.html
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n534/a06.html
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n534/a07.html
Author: Dr. Victor Daveikis

WATER: IT'S MORE DEADLY THAN POT

Re: Decades After Woodstock, The Pot Debate Still Rages, letters to 
the editor, May 27.

Ignorance and avoidance of uncomfortable truths emerges in some of 
these letters. Fact:
Marijuana is one of the safest drugs on the planet -- safer even than 
water. More people
die from drinking too much water than have ever died from consuming 
too much marijuana
(I'll let you in on a secret: the number of deaths attributed to weed 
is 0). I ask any
of them to prove me wrong: but it's a losing bet, because they can't. 
It is estimated
that a person would have to smoke around 1,500 pounds of marijuana in 
15 minutes to
maybe kill them. Compare that to Aspirin, that kills hundreds of 
people each year.

We have to keep in mind that any kind of drug abuse can have negative
effects on a user. Responsible drug use is a different story. It's the
difference between having a daily beer vs. a daily case of beer. A
daily cigarette vs. two daily packs. Education and legalization -- not
fear-mongering and quasi-religious morality arguments -- are what is
needed to control abuse of the drug and the criminal black market that
feeds off its prohibition.

Dr. Victor Daveikis, Waterloo, Ont.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake