Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 Source: Lethbridge Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2009 The Lethbridge Herald Contact: http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/239 Author: Tamara Cartwright, Southern Alberta Cannabis Club Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) MARIJUANA MISUNDERSTOOD When you look around this city, all you see is bar after bar, liquor stores all lit up in a row, CheckStop at the corner with people being arrested for impaired driving, an ambulance around the corner scraping another one off the road, and another being taken to hospital for alcohol poisoning. This is the reality of the leading-selling legal drug in Canada: alcohol. How many of us have lost a loved one to alcohol? How many of us have someone in our life right now that can't go even a single day without a drink? These people are costing the rest of us billions in annual health and enforcement costs. Now look around at all the cannabis smokers. There are people at their jobs, smiling, there is harmony in the air, there are no impaired drivers killing anyone, and there is nobody breaking into your home to get their fix. Yet pot is still illegal. In 5,000 years of recorded history, no one has ever died from a marijuana overdose or chronic use. One would have to smoke hundreds of pounds of pot in under 20 minutes to get close to the "toxic" level of cannabis. Yet pot is still illegal. Prohibition is the only harm in marijuana. Keeping pot illegal so it feeds organized criminals is the real crime. All the money and time our police officers take to run around after people who harm no one could then be used to catch the real criminals. People should take the time to educate themselves about the dozens of medical benefits of marijuana. It could dramatically improve the lives of those who suffer from HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's, morning sickness, ADD/ADHD, migraines, nausea, anorexia, arthritis, cachexia, cancer, Crohn's, epilepsy, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, gout, chronic pain, spasticity and Parkinson's. Protect your children from the government feeding you lies. This government wants to put your kids in jail for one joint and have mandatory minimum sentences for growing a single plant. Ending prohibition would help the economy of Canada by putting the money generated by criminals back into the hands of the Canadian people. Prohibition is the only harm there is in marijuana. Science doesn't lie. The government does. Tamara Cartwright Southern Alberta Cannabis Club Coaldale - --- MAP posted-by: Doug