Pubdate: Thu, 25 Feb 2016
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: George Jost
Page: 12
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor.

POT SHOTS

While I never have used - and never intend to use - marijuana myself,
I think in terms of Tuesday's editorial about ignoring children in the
legalization debate, one should be careful to note that it is possible
to create cocktails and "electric Jello" with alcohol that certainly
can be as potentially "enjoyable" as a marijuana brownie might be.

Sadly, kids still often get access to alcohol when their parents (or
other adults) are negligent. I do not see any reason to treat
marijuana differently than alcohol.

I'm sad to say that kids do have access to illegal and legal drugs
under our current system. I don't see this approach improving this but
at least it won't make things worse.

Likewise, I really don't feel medical marijuana should have been
treated different than other prescription drugs, many of which can be
abused. I don't feel cocktails or flavored e-cigs should be outlawed
either.

Ultimately, parents have a responsibility to parent and there is only
so much the system can do to protect kids from themselves.

George Jost, Ottawa

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(While we agree with you that the government is not responsible for
parenting our kids, you seem to be throwing up your hands and
resigning yourself to a world where legalized marijuana finds its way
into our kids hands. We're not cool with that)
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MAP posted-by: Matt