Pubdate: Thu, 09 Feb 2017
Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC)
Copyright: 2017, BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948
Author: Glenda Barr

SPEED UP LEGAL ACCESS TO CANNABIS

I find our government's action in easing access to alcohol surprising,
especially in consideration of the extreme caution shown in regard to
providing legal access to cannabis.

Alcohol causes many deaths each year, yet regulations regarding use
continue to be eased. Although we have been promised legally regulated
access to cannabis, the process is extremely cumbersome and slow.

People continue to be arrested, gaining life-impairing criminal
records, as we wait for the fulfillment of the promise to legalize.

Cannabis has never caused an overdose death and has many medicinal
benefits, while we have a good awareness of many physical and social
harms caused by the widespread abuse of alcohol. Our current
situation, in which cannabis availability for non-medical use is left
in the hands of the illegal market, provides easy access to minors and
no protocols to assure the safety of the product.

Our governments need to provide more consistent policies. Our
overblown approach to concerns for the safety of Canadians in terms of
legal access to cannabis is inconsistent with the liberalization of
policies regarding alcohol.

Let's get sensible, and speed up the transition to legally regulated
cannabis.

Glenda Barr

Lantzville
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MAP posted-by: Matt