Pubdate: Sun, 07 Jun 2015
Source: Daily Courier (Prescott, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 Prescott Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.dcourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4036
Author: Larry Wonderling, Ph.D.

MARIJUANA & BOOZE

EDITOR:

Reading the June 1 "Marijuana Dangers" letter reawakened my 
frustration with the virtual denigration of smoking and the incessant 
demonizing of marijuana by the government agencies, while glaringly 
ignoring the indisputably dangerous effects of alcohol consumption. 
As a retired clinical psychologist who dealt with alcoholics and 
other drug substance abusers for decades, it has become increasingly 
obvious that both medically and behaviorally, the continued, condoned 
use of alcohol is by far the most devastating of all legal drugs.

Booze is a deadly toxin to humans that destroys many vital organs, 
resulting in a shortened life span, painful deaths, severe seizures, 
and marked distortions in thinking and perceiving. Alcohol is also 
extremely addictive, and clearly causes a high violence potential in 
many heavy drinkers as well as their denial of faulty control over 
driving. As a consequence, death caused by drunk drivers and domestic 
violence killings by drunks remain incredibly high. In contrast, 
there's no evidence of violence or driving fatalities associated with 
smoking cigarettes or marijuana.

Again, as an ordinary person who neither uses cigarettes, marijuana, 
nor excessive booze, I have a simple, pragmatic question. Would you 
rather leave your family at a social party teeming with drunks, or 
marijuana and cigarette smokers?

Larry Wonderling, Ph.D.

Dewey
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom