Pubdate: Wed, 19 May 2010
Source: Albany Democrat-Herald (OR)
Copyright: 2010 Lee Enterprises
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/HPOp5PfB
Website: http://www.democratherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/7
Author: Greg Ranzoni

CAN'T OVERDOSE ON GRASS

America is at a crossroad.  It has been for several years, and we 
have to make several important decisions. Do we move forward and 
choose some necessary evils that may or may not keep our country 
floating along or do we just button up and wait for the apocalypse to come?

Mr. VonCannon wants to button up. In a May 14 letter,  Michael 
VonCannon criticizes the legalize marijuana movement. I don't know 
VonCannon, but I will hazard to assume that he is of a generation 
that was shown "Reefer Madness" and bought all the government lies 
and propaganda hook, line and sinker on the "evils" of Mary Jane.

It is an absolute fact that not one single person in the 5,000 years 
of use of marijuana has died from it. It is a scientific impossibly 
to OD on THC, while overdosing on alcohol (called alcohol poisoning) 
is a common occurrence.

The concept that marijuana is a "gateway" drug is the government's 
fault because once people realize that they've been lied to about 
marijuana they assume that they've been lied to about heroin and cocaine.

Yes, marijuana does have some harmful effects. It has far more 
carcinogens than regular cigarettes, but unlike tobacco, marijuana 
can suppress the side effects of chemotherapy and is a non-addictive 
painkiller. Short-term use is completely harmless, provided that you 
don't drive.

As a side note, the United States Constitution, the supreme law of 
the land, was written on hemp paper.

Greg Ranzoni, Albany
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart