Pubdate: Sat, 10 Aug 2013
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: John Cousins
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n385/a03.html

POT: TO LEGALIZE OR NOT

Re: Legalizing pot, endorsing stupidity, Aug. 7

There is great joy in Toryville today. Rosie DiManno has effectively 
shut down debate on the "stupid" issue of legalizing marijuana. Her 
attack on Justin Trudeau's change on the issue as a "flip-flop" makes 
evolving one's thinking on an issue seem to be the worst thing a 
person can do. A "flip-flop" it is not. That would be a Tory move 
where they would go from prohibition to legalization but we know that 
they would rather die first than even debate the issue.

While DiManno raises some crucial questions, she glosses over the 
facts which are emerging and stoops to the Tory tactics of 
sensationalizing some aspects while ignoring others and in the 
process, uses inflammatory and condescending language to attempt to 
stifle further debate.

Making the delegates to the last Liberal convention look like a bunch 
of stupid-heads is not at all helpful. Does she think that the policy 
they passed ignored the questions she raises? Has she even read the 
policy on their website?

(As an aside, a recent Star article highlighted a new discovery by 
pulmonary specialists that would revolutionalize the way nicotine 
(cannabis?) could be ingested reducing the harmful effects of inhaling.)

Having spent a lifetime in education promoting the futile "war on 
drugs" agenda, I have finally concluded where the stupidity is. 
Brighter people than DiManno have reached the same conclusion.

John Cousins, Campbellford
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom