Pubdate: Fri, 13 Sep 2013
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2013 The Tribune Co.
Contact: http://tbo.com/list/news-opinion-letters/
Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Author: John G. Chase
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n463/a05.html
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n463/a04.html

THE STRAIGHT DOPE

Two recent letters speak out against legalizing marijuana. If their 
reason for writing was Morgan & Morgan's project to put medical 
marijuana on the 2014 ballot, they need to check their facts.

One letter asks, 'Why legalize the smoking of drugs to create a 
further burden on the healthcare system and send the wrong message to 
kids?' The other worries about 'a nation full of mindless people 
wanting to drive while being legally high.' Fact is, most patients do 
not 'smoke.' Instead, they use a vaporizer or ingest it in food. As 
for driving 'high,' the first 16 states to legalize medical marijuana 
saw a decrease in traffic fatalities, a decrease in beer consumption 
and no increase in teen pot smoking.

John G. Chase

Palm Harbor
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