Pubdate: Mon, 04 Apr 2016
Source: Witness, The (South Africa)
Copyright: 2016 The Witness.
Contact:  http://www.witness.co.za/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2960
Author: Calvin Govender

CANNABIS IS NONTOXIC

JARROD Cronje's article ( The Witness, March 31) refers.

I empathise with the writer and wish him a safe journey to recovery. 
Like most drug abusers, the writer appears to have experienced many 
challenges, including poor family support, which may have contributed 
to low self esteem.

There are many reasons why people may try "hard drugs" (tik, whoonga, 
Ecstacy, crack). Cannabis is a nontoxic plant that jus t happens t o 
be grouped with these "hard drugs". If cannabis was a gateway drug, 
then all our rehab centres would be full of Rastafarians, but that 
isn't the case. It's a bit like saying that everyone who rides a 
bicycle as a child will grow up to ride a motorbike. The argument 
isn't logical.

Cannabis is many times less dangerous than hard drugs and alcohol.

Guns kill people but we don't prohibit guns, so why prohibit a 
nontoxic plant and group it with highly toxic and addictive 
substances like heroin? Cannabis is found in breast milk and contains 
a chemical called anandamide. Ananda means "bliss" in Sanskrit. Rehab 
centres would be ad vised to not e the shift in global policy away 
from the prohibitionist regime, particularly against cannabis.

CALVIN GOVENDER Springhaven Seed Bank and Harm Reduction Centre
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom