Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jan 2014 Source: International New York Times (International) Copyright: 2014 The New York Times Company Contact: http://international.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/212 Note: Was International Herald-Tribune until Nov. 2013 Author: Yannik Hausmann MARIJUANA AND LEGALIZATION Regarding "Buyers rush to Colorado as marijuana sales begin" (News, Jan. 2): The euphoria that Colorado's legalization of recreational marijuana aroused has reached even Germany, where the issue has been debated for years. Just to be clear: I am not against marijuana. I am a supporter of medical marijuana, a scientifically proven way to help people with certain ailments. But recreational marijuana is different. Aside from its psychological and physical effects on adults, marijuana is also highly dangerous for teenagers, all the more that they will consume it with alcohol and cigarettes. So is it worthwhile to legalize a new way to ruin our health? I think we already have enough ways of doing that. YANNIK HAUSMANN NAMBORN, GERMANY - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom