Pubdate: Mon, 16 Jun 2014
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2014 The Tribune Co.
Contact: http://tbo.com/list/news-opinion-letters/submit/
Website: http://tbo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n504/a11.html

HEALTH CONSCIOUS

Regarding the June 10 editorial ("=C2=9CNot your parents=C3=A2=C2=80=C2=99
 marijuana,"=C2=80=C2=9D
Our Views), the National Institute on Drug Abuse is not a credible
authority on marijuana. Director Nora Volkow would have us believe
that stronger marijuana is reason to continue criminalizing citizens
who prefer marijuana to martinis.

Assuming our federal government is genuinely concerned about the
health of those citizens they want arrested, they should know that
health-conscious marijuana consumers deliberately seek out the
strongest strains of marijuana available. Potent pot means less smoke
inhalation. One or two small puffs will yield the desired result.

Federal bureaucrats no doubt fail to appreciate the inconsistencies in
their anti-marijuana propaganda.

Part of the problem lies in hiring criteria. Ignorance is a
prerequisite for employment. The emphasis on "=C2=9Cdrug-free" background
s
for drug warriors ensures that those least knowledgeable about the
effects and use of illegal drugs are charged with enforcing laws
against them. This is no accident.

Anyone who has smoked pot knows that marijuana is not nearly as
dangerous (or exciting) as government propaganda suggests.

Robert Sharpe

Washington, D.C.

The writer is a policy analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy (
www.csdp.org).
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