Pubdate: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 Source: Philadelphia Daily News (PA) Copyright: 2013 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/about/feedback/ Website: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/339 Author: Carol Ambruster Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n478/a01.html THE UPS & DOWNS OF LEGALIZED HIGHS I usually agree with Stu, but I can't on this one. I know a few people who regularly smoke pot, and I don't feel it's been good for any of them. It certainly hasn't aided emotional maturity and mental clarity. Not all pot smoking leads to harder drug use, but it did in the case of my brother, who died at age 50 from liver disease from alcohol, pot and hard drugs. I also question the need for medical marijuana: I suspect that a good deal of it goes to people who used to smoke pot and who exaggerate their pain level to a sympathetic doctor, perhaps one of similar pot-smoking background. The public has largely disengaged itself from thinking about anything related to the responsibilities of a citizen in a representative democracy, like the direction of the country, current events and politics - Lord knows we don't need to degrade their thought any further. Probably curbing Philly's corruption would help a lot in funding education, but I don't see that coming ... Carol Ambruster Philadelphia - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom