Pubdate: Mon, 17 Apr 2017 Source: Toronto Star (CN ON) Copyright: 2017 The Toronto Star Contact: http://www.thestar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v17/n133/a05.html Author: Catharina Summers Page: A14 LEGALIZING MARIJUANA WILL HARM OUR YOUTH Re: Fat chance pot bill will do any good, DiManno, April 13 Thank you, Rosie DiManno. You raise a serious concern about the impact the legalization of marijuana will have on our youth. It is basically legitimizing a drug that is harmful for adolescents at the same time as telling them that their parents can grow four plants in your home, can smoke up, etc. But you can't have any, unless you find another source. Today's youth have been finding another source for many years and, considering that our youth are among the highest users in the world, they have been very successful at it. Why would legalizing marijuana for adults make it less available for our youth? Why does the government say once they legalize cannabis, it will start a campaign warning our youth of its harmful affects on their maturing brains? Why is it not doing this now? As Rosie so astutely reminded us, marijuana has the effect of manipulating the mind into thinking marijuana is a "mind-expanding substance," yet, in reality, it is "profoundly dulling and stupefying." Catharina Summers, Kingston - --- MAP posted-by: Matt