Pubdate: Fri, 16 Apr 2010
Source: Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times, The  (CN MB)
Copyright: 2010 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.stonewallargusteulontimes.com/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx
Website: http://www.stonewallargusteulontimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3979
Author: Jared Bruce
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n270/a08.html

MARIJUANA IS AS BAD AS IT SEEMS

Re: "Marijuana Myths Abound", opinion page, The Stonewall Argus and 
Teulon Times, April 9, 2010.

After reading Marijuana Myths Abound, the only part of it that I 
found of any real merit was the closing quote: "The best stress 
reliever, however, is a strong community - of family, friends and 
acquaintances. Love remains the elixir that unburdens us. Now there's 
an addiction we can all live with." Excellent quote, however the 
rest, I feel, is highly misinformed.

Marijuana IS a gateway drug but not under the same meaning as it used 
to be. Marijuana, especially here in Manitoba, is easily laced with 
heavier drugs such as cocaine and crystal meth. Both of these drugs 
are highly addictive and can trigger an addiction in just one use. 
Crystal meth itself has the capabilities to kill a user in just one 
dose. So it is not that the use of marijuana leads to the use of 
other drugs, it is that marijuana use can be used in conjunction with 
these heavier, more dangerous drugs. This is the underlying problem 
with marijuana use.

The medical facts on marijuana are well documented. It is known that 
marijuana contains the same cancerous compounds that can be found in 
regular cigarettes, but with the lack of a filter and the holding of 
the breath to absorb as much THC as possible, marijuana smoking is 
often thought to be more detrimental to your health than regular 
cigarette smoking.

The point about decriminalizing marijuana is a valid one. It would 
take it out of the drug dealers hands and could be government 
regulated to ensure safe use and safe production.

The debate on this topic could go on forever, however we must realize 
this is not the 70's, this is the 2000's and we are dealing with a 
new breed of drugs and drug dealers. Dealers don't care about the 
well-being of their users, only that there is lots of easy money to 
be made and the faster they move you into the heavy drugs, the more 
money they will make. Drugs are made more potent than ever and are 
being offered to kids and teens who are easily manipulated and impressionable.

The point of programs like Champions (where high school students talk 
to grade 5's about drugs and alcohol) is to give as much information 
to these kids as possible to make good decisions when dealing with 
drugs and alcohol. Numbers are not just pulled out of the air, they 
are hard facts done by qualified individuals and to make an 
accusation that they are pulled out of thin air is a spit in the face 
to those who have done it.

In the end it is up to the person who is confronted with this to make 
a decision. I know people, as the writer of the article does too, who 
use marijuana and it has little to no effect on their daily lives. 
These are not the people I worry about. It is the youth of tomorrow 
who come up against this and don't know the effects that I worry about.

But 70% of all statistics are made up, so we shouldn't worry......

Jared Bruce

Stonewall, MB
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom