Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 Source: Buffalo News (NY) Copyright: 2014 The Buffalo News Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61 Author: Marshall J. Duguay Page: A9 LEGALIZING MARIJUANA WOULD BE HUGE MISTAKE As a husband, parent and grandparent, I feel some concern over the haste to legalize both medical and recreational marijuana. There are too many unknowns. We do know that there are properties in marijuana currently available in some prescription drugs. We do know the deleterious effects that marijuana has on the developing brains of children and young adults. However, there is an additional factor that we do not know. At one time, I worked at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. While there I served as a member of the Cigarette Cancer Committee. I recall discussion as to the increased harmfulness of cigarette smoking that is directly attributable to depth of inhalation and length of time held. I believe that the act of smoking marijuana actually requires this exact behavior. This suggests a prescription for trouble. I believe we should objectively evaluate this and other potential dangers before we plunge headlong into such a vast and uncharted national mistake. Unless of course, the reason we do not is the enormous financial profit and votes, rather than the likely loss of health and life. A dose of reason is in order. Marshall J. Duguay, Ph.D. Buffalo - --- MAP posted-by: Matt