Pubdate: Sun, 29 Apr 2012
Source: Morning Star, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 The Morning Star
Contact:  http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1352
Author: Howard Brown

MARIJUANA MYTHS

It's heartening to hear that local municipal councils are calling for 
the de-criminalization and regulation of marijuana. The U.S. "war on 
drugs" method is clearly not working.

The real winner of that so-called war is organized crime and it comes 
at the expense of us who foot the bill for police, jails, hospitals 
and social ills that addiction brings. It's time to put aside the 
myth of the "gateway drug." Most people who try marijuana or even use 
it on a regular basis do not go on to become junkies any more than 
the millions who drink beer end up as winos.

Addiction is a health issue most often with deep psychological and 
social roots unrelated to the substance itself. Most of those who end 
up in jail are victims of their history and victims of the real 
criminals who continue to live high on the hog on the profits of prohibition.

Howard Brown

Enderby
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