Pubdate: Fri, 10 Aug 2012
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Alan Rinehart
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n392/a03.html

RESPONSES TO 'CRAZY TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA'

To the editor:

Re: We'd Be Crazy to Legalize Marijuana, Aug. 7 Capital News.

In response to the letter We'd be Crazy to Legalize Marijuana.

I found the letter to be totally off the mark and typical of the kind 
of thinking that leads to misplaced blame. There is so much written 
about marijuana and its use that I would invite Mr. Mellis to do a 
bit more investigation before levelling such criticism.

A few points in response:

Any person who would do a dangerous job such as he illustrated has a 
responsibility to the safety of fellow workers. A marijuana-stoned 
idiot is the same as a drunk idiot or drugged idiot-the operative 
word is idiot not marijuana. Someone in that condition should be 
dealt with as severely as a sleep-deprived bus driver high on legal 
amphetamines or a pilot with an elevated blood alcohol level. Stupid 
behaviour will not be eliminated by prohibiting any substance.

Most marijuana users are no more 'addicted' to marijuana than someone 
who has a beer after a round of golf or at a hockey game is an 
'alcoholic.' A few may be and they should have support and 
counselling to eliminate the dependency, but not reefer madness-style 
prohibition.

Prohibition of alcohol has been tried-it didn't work. It cost society 
greatly in money diverted to policing and fuelled the growth of 
organized crime. The failed war on drugs still drains billions of 
dollars from the budget that could be much better spent on health 
care, education and the arts.

Marijuana has been used for millennia in a positive way for spiritual 
rituals and for health purposes. It is an excellent appetite-enhancer 
and pain reliever. For instance, it has proven particularly effective 
in relieving the symptoms of MS.

There is much more study to be done regarding its positive and 
negative effects, let's do that study without the overhanging cloud 
of illegality.

Let adults make their own choices and legislate where those choices 
could be dangerous (operating heavy equipment, flying, driving etc.) 
or unhealthy (second-hand smoke in public places).

Alan Rinehart,

Kelowna
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom