Pubdate: Tue, 06 Jan 2009
Source: Vicksburg Post (MS)
Copyright: 2009, The Vicksburg Post
Contact:  http://www.vicksburgpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3076
Author: Stan White
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n1169/a05.html

LEGALIZE POT TO FIGHT METH

In response to the editorial of Dec. 28, "Meth is a nightmare that
won't go away," Government is partly responsible for America's high
addiction rates to honest hard drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and
heroin, due to its discredited prohibition of cannabis
(marijuana).

The question isn't if, but rather what percentage of America's drug
problem is due to prohibiting the relatively safe, socially
acceptable, God-given plant cannabis?

How many youths and adults try cannabis and realize it's not nearly as
harmful as taught in government environments? Then they think other
substances must not be so bad either, only to become addicted to
deadly drugs.

Prohibiting cannabis, which is safer than beer, wine or whiskey,
places the plant's sales in the hands of the same people who often
sell highly addictive and deadly substances, which undoubtedly causes
increased addiction rates.

Cannabis even has a history of helping people escape hard drug
addictions, which makes it valuable; that's an argument for it's
legalization in itself.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin