Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jan 2012
Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Susan Schleppe
Contact:  http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948
Author: Susan Schleppe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n028/a06.html

MARIJUANA ARGUMENTS NEED LESS EMOTION

To the Editor,

Re: Prohibitionists losing legal debate, Letters, Jan. 10.

OK, you've had your fun.

You've sparked a debate where both sides have strong opinions that 
are long on emotion and short on fact.

The writers make sweeping statements such as Whelm King's, "Cannabis 
should be legalized because it is relatively harmless and is a potent 
and effective natural medicine" without referencing any specific 
study that supports his statement.

Ashley Suggett offers California's legalization and regulation of 
medical marijuana as a useful example while seeming to be unaware of 
similar provision currently available to Canadians.

H.B. deWaal is concerned that young people are being saddled with 
criminal records for a harmless drug when the Youth Justice Act 
protects all minors from long term implications of youthful 
indiscretion and in my opinion officers of the law exercise a great 
deal of leniency with regard to the use of marijuana (nor is the use 
of restricted to young people).

There is more emotion and opinion here than fact.

I think it would be helpful if you assigned a reporter, perhaps even 
two   one who supports the legalization of marijuana and another who 
is against it   to actually assemble some facts.

There is confusion in our society about this drug in 
particular   some believe legalization will mean the freedom to 
produce it for themselves without any sort of regulation. Apparently 
some are unaware that there are provisions for its medicinal use. 
Many believe that marijuana use brings about much ill.

In the introduction to Plato's Republic, I came across this 
statement: the diseases of a state are like the heads of a hydra; 
they multiply when they are cut off. The true remedy for them is not 
extirpation but prevention. And the way to prevent them is to take 
care of education and education will take care of the rest."

Your newspaper is a catalyst for much good in our society when you 
choose to assist in our education.

Susan Schleppe

Nanaimo
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D