Pubdate: Fri, 17 Feb 2012
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2012 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Judith Anderson

BLOWING A JOINT

Gary Mason suggests that legalizing marijuana will produce policy 
complexities (Legalize Weed, Yes, But The Demon's In The Details - 
Feb. 16). Here are just a few: 1) Marijuana makes people with some 
mental illnesses more prone to psychosis. How will we protect 
vulnerable people from this harm?; 2) Marijuana smoke is as damaging 
to physical health as tobacco smoke; 3) Because raw marijuana has 
been accepted as a "medication," anti-smoking regulations must be 
strengthened so they can be applied even to those who claim they are 
taking medication; 4) Legal marijuana will become a gift worth 
billions to Big Tobacco. The industry will devote its vast resources 
to obfuscating research on health effects, resisting regulation, 
targeting youth and maximizing marijuana's addictive qualities; 5) 
Roadside tests must be developed to detect and prosecute drivers 
impaired by marijuana.

We need careful preparation before we jump on this bandwagon.

Judith Anderson,

Burnaby, B.C.
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