Pubdate: Sat, 31 Mar 2012
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun
Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Authors: Paddy Rodney and Sally Thorne

LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IS A HEALTHY CHOICE

Re: B.C.'S Chief Medical Officer latest to support legalizing pot, March 28

We applaud Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C.'S provincial health officer, for a
timely and forward-thinking policy position on the decriminalization
of marijuana.

Nursing has long recognized the inherent value of a harm-reduction
approach to public health policy. As nurses, we support the recent
Vienna declaration, which calls for an evidence-based drug policy
approach instead of treating illicit drug use as a criminal justice
issue.

Decriminalizing the use of marijuana for all people shifts the focus
from the criminal justice system to the health care system, where
there are numerous constructive and strategic approaches available to
support education and the promotion of health around substance use.

As nurses, we also fully appreciate the medicinal value of marijuana
across a wide range of chronic conditions.

We deplore the challenge that patients with many serious health
effects have obtaining the supports they need to manage their chronic
conditions.

Paddy Rodney and Sally Thorne

Vancouver
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