Pubdate: Wed, 07 May 2014
Source: Cowichan Valley Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Cowichan Valley Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/cowichanvalleycitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4349
Author: Peggy Cetinski

MARIJUANA IS NOT HARMLESS

Duncan - In a recent Citizen, a police officer took the time to 
comment on the legalization of marijuana. Thank God somebody had the 
courage to tell it like it is! To all of you who think drugs are 
okay, and make no mistake, marijuana is a drug, read his letter carefully.

Doing drugs is not cool! There is a segment of our population who 
want their minds to be altered, for several reasons. They want to 
escape reality, they want a high, they want to be like others, they 
are plain stupid and irresponsible.

Life is a gift. Treasure it. If it isn't good, make an effort to make 
it better. The high does not last and only leads to more grief for 
everyone. And permanently harms your body and your brain. Don't 
believe the ones who only want to make money off of it.

Now let me tell you of a personal story, an experience I had some 30 
years ago. At the time, I was trying to help a young girl who was 
going down a very dangerous path. I won't go into full detail, I'll 
just get to my point.

She was involved with a terrible man; in and out of prison, drugs, 
etc. In between prison terms, she had two beautiful babies, before 
she was 18. Try as I may, his hold on her was stronger than mine.

They were living in Nanaimo. Their second little boy was six weeks 
old when I received a frantic call from the mother. Little James had 
died from crib death. Please come! My husband and I rushed to the 
apartment only to find the mother plugged into hard rock music, 
completely stoned! No sign of the father.

There was a motorcycle in the living room and a huge hunting knife, 
out of its sheath, on a table, and a two-year-old boy running around 
dressed only in a dirty diaper. A small example of marijuana use here.

To make my story short, I was able to arrange a small service for the 
baby, with the help of my parish priest.

I read a passage from scripture as this tiny little coffin was 
brought in. My heart broke and the image of the tiny coffin is with 
me still. The coroner's report revealed what I had expected. 
Marijuana smoke contributed to this wee baby's death.

Keep this in your mind, all of you who think marijuana is harmless. 
There are many, many more cases of the harm marijuana does. That 
police officer mentioned only a few.

As you drive the highway, pray that the drivers behind and ahead and 
alongside of you are not pot heads.

Peggy Cetinski Duncan
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom