Pubdate: Sun, 20 Aug 2000
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  333 King St. E., Toronto, Ontario M5A 3X5 Canada
Fax: (416) 947-3228
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Author: Mike Rea, http://www.mapinc.org/writers/Mike+Rea
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1158/a09.html

RISE ABOVE LABELS

RE "REEFER Madness?" (Aug. 13): Using the word "stoner" is a little like 
writing about someone who likes to drink alcoholic beverages and calling 
him a drunk, or a rummy. Think about it. There is a leap to be made from 
drinking wine to being a drunkard. It is assumptive to call someone a stoner.

Does Linda Williamson mark someone's entire identity based on the fact he 
likes wine with dinner and refer to him as a wino?  Imagine if she were 
writing about alcohol prohibition and had written, "One drunkard wrote to 
say ... " I mean, please. Have a little couth.

Try smoker or toker, much like we use drinker for people who like to drink 
alcohol.  It defines the act. And the really ironic part was that she used 
the word "stoner" in the same sentence where she expressed her wish to 
raise the level of discourse: "I do hope the level of discourse rises above 
the note I got from a stoner." Simply brilliant.

Mike Rea

Phoenix, Ariz.

(Chill, dude)
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart