Pubdate: Fri, 01 Mar 2002 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Copyright: 2002 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) DRUG USE Legalize Marijuana; Better Educate Public This is regarding the article "Researchers zoning in on effects of marijuana" in the Feb. 25 Health and Science section. Contrary to writer Linda Carroll's claim that "until recently, little research had been done to settle the controversy," there has been extensive research on the effects of marijuana. If it weren't for the government's misbegotten war on drugs and campaign of disinformation, kids like Dawn would understand that smoking a blunt - a marijuana cigar - is like chugging rum. Anyone who consumes alcohol knows the difference between having a beer and drinking 150-proof alcohol. But we lie to kids with programs like DARE so they don't understand the difference between having two hits of a marijuana joint and polishing off a cigar-size blunt with friends. Does anyone remember the deaths and other injuries caused by consuming the "bathtub gin" that alcohol prohibition spawned? Our current drug war prohibition and persistence of the "just say no" mentality has resulted in a refusal to admit that marijuana, like many other things, has the potential for both good and bad. We need to legalize marijuana and communicate truthfully about its good and bad sides and stop locking up people for using it. Paul Mozina, Milwaukee - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager