Pubdate: Mon, 16 Mar 2009
Source: Charter, The (CN NF)
Copyright: 2009, The Charter
Contact:  http://www.thecharter.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2344
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n274/a06.html
Author: Stan White

CANNABIS LESS ADDICTIVE THAN COFFEE

Dear Editor:

There is not a single location in North America where Sgt. William 
Dwyer"s method of keeping youth off drugs (Drug Information Session 
Held, Mar. 3, 2009) is working. It works as intended to create jobs 
for police, the prison industry and their unions but fails otherwise. 
Want to keep citizens off honest deadly hard drugs? Then re-legalize 
the relatively safe, socially acceptable, God-given plant cannabis as 
suggested by the 1970's Le Dain Commission's report along with 
Canada's 2002, Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs' report which 
unanimously recommended to regulate cannabis the same way as alcohol.

One beneficial component of re-legalizing cannabis (marijuana) that 
doesn't get mentioned is that it will lower hard drug addiction 
rates. DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) will have to stop 
brainwashing youth into believing lies, half-truths and propaganda 
concerning cannabis, which creates grave future problems.

How many citizens try cannabis and realize it's not nearly as harmful 
as taught in DARE-type government environments? Then they think other 
substances must not be so bad either, only to become addicted to 
deadly drugs. The old lessons make cannabis out to be among the worst 
substances in the world, even though it's less addictive than coffee 
and has never killed a single person.

The federal government even classifies cannabis as a Schedule I 
substance along with heroin, while methamphetamine and cocaine are 
only Schedule II substances. For the health and welfare of America's 
children and adults that dangerous and irresponsible message 
absolutely must change.

Further, regulated cannabis sales would make it so citizens who 
purchase cannabis would not come into contact with people who often 
also sell hard drugs, which would lower hard drug addiction rates.

Stan White

Dillon, Colorado
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