Pubdate: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON) Copyright: 2002 Guelph Mercury Newspapers Limited Contact: http://www.guelphmercury.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418 Author: Carolann Brett Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1796/a02.html DON'T INHALE AND DON'T EVER LEGALIZE MARIJUANA Dear Editor - Yes, contrary to what Grant G.O. Duncan writes (letter to the editor, Sept. 21, The Guelph Mercury) it is right to punish those using marijuana with a criminal record just as someone who steals a car would have a criminal record. Yes, THC metabolites stay in the body for up to 30 days. Do we want anything in the body that shouldn't be there? Yes, cannabis was involved in 70 per cent of the approximately 50,000 drug-related charges in 1999, as Duncan confirmed. This statistic alone supports the proposition that our society needs to rethink the harm that having cannabis so prevalent in our society is doing. There is an increase in youth crime. Do we have statistics on these youth involved in crime with urine and blood tests carried out at the time of arrest to discount that marijuana and other drugs are not part of the problem? No. The committee report states that "Various psychiatric disorders have been associated with chronic cannabis use: mood disorders and depressive episodes, anxiety disorders, personality disorders as well as more severe conditions, such as psychoses and schizophrenia" (page 150). I would challenge parents who are having problems with their child or youth to have him/her checked for medical problems and ask your doctor for a urine drug test to rule out drug use. If the child/youth agrees to have the test done by the doctor, go ahead and have it done so you know for sure -- a surprise appointment is good. If he/she doesn't agree, then you shouldn't accept the old "don't you trust me?", especially if other problems are surfacing such as missing school, sleeping a lot, food binges and mood swings. Parents, you can obtain drug-testing supplies for your home use from the U.S. by calling Conney Safety Products at 1-800-356-9100. As parents, we have every right to know if our child/youth is on drugs. Drug use does interfere with relationships and the motivation of the child/youth. Employers, do you want your employees smoking pot on their coffee breaks? Think about it. The United States has drug testing approved in the workplace to keep drugs out of the workplace and reduce the chance of injury. The joints the kids have available can be as high as 30 per cent THC. The committee report suggests marketing cigarettes at 13 per cent which is about the same as the joints which were smoked in the '70s contained. In a society which is encouraging and placing warnings on cigarettes about cancer, why would we want to legalize marijuana smoking, which is inhaled deep into the lungs, contributing to cancer? The committee report states "An equal product weight of cannabis provides up to four times more tar than a strong tobacco" (page 144). There is nothing more important than our children -- just say no to drugs. They are bad news and they will mess up your life. Carolann Brett Rockwood - --- MAP posted-by: Josh