Pubdate: Fri, 05 Sep 2014
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Gerald Hall
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Gerald Hall

MOST CANADIANS DON'T WANT POT MADE LEGAL

I fear that yet too many people out there assume that because
something is "legal" it is good, safe and in the best interests of the
public. Legality is not nor ever has been necessarily equal to good.

Canadians are being bombarded with the current myth of the merits of
medical marijuana when in fact the benefits and safety of this drug
are far from having been conclusively proved. Nor has it been proved
to be a safe recreational drug.

Canada and more than a dozen U.S. states have legalized marijuana for
medicinal purposes but under federal law marijuana remains illegal. So
is marijuana really medicine? Just because a few chemicals in
marijuana have been developed into medications does not conclusively
prove the drug is safe.

There are very good reasons governments are reluctant to legalize
marijuana. It comes from the plant Cannabis sativa which contains 400
different chemicals, many with unknown effects. True medicines have
well-defined and measurable ingredients that are consistent in
dosages. The smoking of marijuana has known harmful effects and can
cause chronic cough, an increased risk of bronchitis and other lung
infections. Ask any honest respirologist. It can interfere with
learning and memory and if combined with alcohol is absolutely deadly
when driving. Add paranoia, anxiousness and the possibility of
addiction to the list.

It seems to me to be the epitome of irresponsibility for political
leaders, the media or educators to be pushing so hard for something
that could well prove to be far more harmful for the public than
beneficial. All of which begs the question as to why marijuana
crusader Marc Emery after spending over four years in a U.S. jail is
welcomed back to Canada as some sort of freedom fighting hero? He
intends to work hard to elect Justin Trudeau to crush the "repressive"
Conservative government.

Recent polls show the majority of Canadians do not favour legalization
nor commercialization of marijuana.

Relaxing the laws on marijuana possession in small amounts, which
Canadians seem to support, is a far cry from legalizing it.

Conservative policies on this issue reflect the Canadian mainstream.
Marc Emery is anything but a hero and Justin Trudeau's determination
to legalize pot is far from being on the right side of history.

Gerald Hall Nanoose Bay 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D