Pubdate: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 Source: Hamilton Spectator (CN ON) Copyright: 2013 The Hamilton Spectator Contact: http://www.thespec.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/181 Author: Ben Lyons PRINT THE TRUTH, NOT JUST FEAR TACTICS Fair play also applies to letter writers (Letters, Aug. 12) Several articles/opinions have been expressed concerning the effects of smoking cannabis. For the last hundred years, ignorance has labelled cannabis a dangerous drug. Yet I cannot for the life of me find one single case of death due to cannabis consumption. Actually, my independent research indicates that the harm in smoking cannabis is limited to: munchies and apathy. Is there a reference that could be provided me that I could verify any of these hundred year old myths that still get printed in the daily paper? And then could we compare the violence and disaster that the "war on drugs" perpetrates and have a reasonable discussion on which is worse: the intoxicant or the war against it? Pot (alone) has never killed anyone. Pot does not cause schizophrenia; it can reveal that condition in people who already have it. The active chemical THC does not cause cancer but may in fact shrink cancer tumours in mice. Pot may have other immense benefits if only we could be allowed to investigate without prejudice. The last 13 years that I have been a daily user has left me with a mortgage (nearly paid off), a garden/patio that is the envy of my friends and a beautiful wife (nonsmoker). Print the truth not the fear. Ben Lyons, Hamilton - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom