Pubdate: Wed, 23 Nov 2011 Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA) Copyright: 2011 Stephen Banister Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/ Website: http://www.theunion.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957 Author: Stephen Banister BACK UP YOUR STATEMENTS In response to "If pot supports our local economy, why not legalize meth, too?" Amazing! So many people have written The Union about marijuana, and make strong statements without any backing. Where is the evidence? Ms. Crouch, please send me the scientific evidence that marijuana "is killing people." How many per year? How? Nicotine currently kills 435,000 per year in the United States. "We should eradicate it completely ..." How? The war on marijuana is a proven failure. The California Medical Association (October 14, 2011) declared that "criminalization of cannabis (marijuana) is a failed public health policy." This year, the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug prohibitionist policies have become worthless." It is time to wake up. Stephen Banister, M.D. Grass Valley - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom