Pubdate: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 Source: Maclean's Magazine (Canada) Copyright: 2001 Maclean Hunter Publishing Ltd. Contact: http://www.macleans.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/253 Author: Dawn Taylor, Gerald M. Macdonald, Ken Lane, Nigel Osborne, Hugh d'Entremont Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) THE POT DEBATE I find it hard to believe that most Canadians have never tried pot, and that, if they did, 93 per cent do not indulge anymore ("Reefer madness: the sequel," Cover, Aug. 6). I am a 33-year-old mother and I can tell you that everyone I know smokes pot. Most of my family smokes it. So are we the only ones who do? As far as the police saying that pot is a "gateway drug," bah, no one I know has gotten into harder, heavier drugs. Marijuana should be decriminalized. Here is the same old argument. I do not know anyone who has smoked a joint or two, gotten into a car, swerved all over the road and killed someone. Pot is a downer. It makes you want to sit and just enjoy -- so, let's get happy! Dawn Taylor, Richmond Hill, Ont. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As a health professional, I feel there are a number of issues that need to be resolved before we consider any changes to the legal status of marijuana use in Canada. First, with respect to marijuana's potential as a therapeutic drug, a great deal more research is needed. The drug needs to go through the same system of clinical trials, to determine safety, efficacy and correct dosages, as any other drug proposed for introduction to the market. There has been little legitimate research on this issue; the chill that has existed in the scientific community over marijuana use has likely been a factor in this deficiency. Second, before we consider legalizing recreational use of marijuana, perhaps under a system similar to what is currently in place for alcohol, we as a society need to address the issue of impaired driving in the context of marijuana. It would be irresponsible to legalize marijuana until some such system is available. Gerald M. Macdonald, RN, Grande Prairie, Alta. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rather than dissect your article, it is perhaps more instructive to look at the bigger picture. The marijuana of the LeDain Commission era (1970) had, on average, psychoactive content (THC) of less than five per cent. In the 1990s, it was found as high as 52 per cent. What remains unchanged, however, is marijuana's half-life in the human body: seven days. Those smoking the weed more than once a week are increasing their tolerance level, and increasing the degree of their impairment, impairment that is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The implications for our roadways, work sites, health-care systems and at-home environments, not to mention this country's competitiveness/productivity, are obvious. Ken Lane, Canadian Delegate, Drug Watch International, Victoria ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How any society can allow two of the most addictive, socially disruptive and potentially life- and family-destroying substances known to man to be bought, sold and taxed legally is beyond me. If marijuana had the same qualities and effects on the human brain that alcohol and tobacco do, I would be the first to say no to its legalization. As you point out, there is little or no evidence that the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana would lead to anarchy. If the government decides to legalize it, it should mandate its harvest to maintain the integrity of its composition. Doing so would avoid the problems we now face with tobacco and ensure the viability of local or regional indoor/outdoor growers and farmers. Nigel Osborne, Hamilton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The war against drugs is an abject failure. It would be more sensible for the government to control the production, importation and sale of these substances. Governments already regulate alcohol, gambling and cigarettes. The addition of recreational drugs only makes sense. Enforcing a ban on some substances while collecting revenues from others is hypocritical. When Prohibition was repealed, it was assumed that alcohol abuse would skyrocket, that it would lead to the absolute moral decimation of society. It didn't happen. I don't believe it will happen now. Hugh d'Entremont, Dartmouth, N.S. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager