Pubdate: Sat, 04 Jan 2014 Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2014 Mike Griffith Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/letter-to-editor Website: http://www.calgarysun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67 Author: Mike Griffith Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n630/a03.html Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor. LEGALIZE POT I would like to comment on Jenn Gearey's letter Sunday, Dec. 29 about the federal government's marijuana policies. She stated that the federal government, including Minister Peter MacKay, has been clear: We will not decriminalize or legalize marijuana. These drugs are illegal because of the harmful effects they have on users and on society. Can she, or anyone else for that matter, tell me what medical benefits cigarettes have, besides death? Why are doctors not prescribing cigarettes to patients to treat the wide variety of ailments that pot does. Yes, it is used as a recreational drug that is where it began and it was discovered that it has some medical benefits about it. But you always have good and bad with everything. In this case the good side of pot outweighs the reasons you use to keep it illegal. Now is the time to research pot for other medical uses. Now is not the time to run away from it. My advice to the federal government is to just admit there is no real reason! to keep pot illegal except fear of voter repercussions and some militant police personnel. The economic benefits are huge, the spin off jobs, the tax money that it would generate would help the country as a whole. At least Justin is man enough to admit to having a toke. Mike Griffith (The Tories don't take their cues from Justin.) - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D