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.)
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D