Pubdate: Tue, 01 May 2012
Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Gary Huntbatch
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/BkAJKrUD
Website: http://www.abbynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155
Author: Gary Huntbatch

MAYORS DESERVE SUPPORT IN POT DECRIMINALIZATION

It is good that a coalition of eight mayors is asking for the
decriminalization of marijuana.

While there are those who oppose this move on the grounds that pot is
a gateway drug to more dangerous drugs, here is my opinion as to why
they are both right, and wrong.

If pot were a gateway drug then a large percentage of those over 50
would be either dead from overdose, criminally supporting a habit or
just totally wasted each day from their addictions. That is my
argument against the "gateway" concept.

On the other hand, with pot as an illegal substance, the only way to
obtain it is through the criminal element, the pusher. The pusher,
like any good salesperson/entrepreneur, will try to up-sell you to a
more addictive and higher profit product, because the pusher's only
interest is making money.

That, then, is my view supporting the idea that, yes, pot is a gateway
drug, but only if it is illegal.

I hope the mayor's initiative will spread to other mayors, MLAs,
premiers and MPs throughout the country, bringing an end to the madness.

Gary Huntbatch
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D