Pubdate: Sun, 05 Jan 2003
Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2003 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Tom Creighton

SHEER STUPIDITY

After how many millions of dollars, how much legislation, and how much 
propaganda and advertising by government and health agencies, trying to get 
people to stop smoking, we now have government committees bringing forth 
proposals to give partial legitimacy to remove criminal sanctions against 
the use of marijuana? And guess how you use it? By smoking it. The 
stupidity of it all.

The Alliance "thinkers" would legitimize possession of up to 30 grams, the 
amount a heavy smoker would take in (also contaminating those around them).

Let us not forget that these lethal bombs will take to their cars under the 
influence and, at this time, we have no roadside test that can detect 
marijuana use, so we will have to wait until they hit something.

These wise government people may be doing this more to get votes than to 
build us a better society. We hear those who try to legitimize using drugs 
say that this is not as bad as liquor, which is legal (and a fat supplier 
of government income). But if we could start afresh, would we have 
legalized alcohol?

Many medical people would say that marijuana is an inferior pain killer, 
especially when one considers that there is an inconsistent level of active 
ingredients.

We can do a lot better for our society than having marijuana as a 
recreational toy to play with. It is not a benign candy, but a drug whose 
consequences are worrying enough to be much more cautious about.

Tom Creighton, Halifax
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom