Pubdate: Fri, 23 Jun 2017
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2017 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/send_a_letter
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v17/n194/a07.html
Author: Jordan Coates
Page: A6

POT FEARS OVERBLOWN

Re: Province should control marijuana sales (June 19)

Do we need to own a permit to purchase alcohol annually? No. Is there
plain packaging for alcohol? No. Does the government only sell two
types of alcohol? No. Does the government track everyone who purchases
alcohol? No. Do we have a government task force to monitor who has
legal alcohol in their homes? No. Does the MLL sell any intoxicating
substances other than alcohol? No.

Did the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health determine alcohol is one 
of the greatest public health threats in Canada in 2013? Yes. Alcohol 
accounts for eight per cent of all deaths for people under 70 years old 
currently and has a burden of $14.6 billion on our health-care and law 
enforcement services, according to a 2013 study, Strategies to Reduce 
Alcohol-Related Harms and Costs in Canada: A Comparison of Provincial 
Policies.

Many other substances can be directly linked to causing early death,
unhealthy diet (not in every case), heart disease (roughly 48,000
deaths in Canada per year) and strokes (roughly 13,000 deaths per year
in Canada) but you don't see any tight restrictions on greasy food or
requirements for plain packaging at all fast-food restaurants.

Yes, there are plenty of deaths in vehicles by people who had consumed
cannabis, but there are zero reported deaths directly from its
consumption alone. From 2006 to 2010 there were approximately 88,000
people who died directly from their alcohol consumption in the United
States (poisoning/overdose).

The hysteria surrounding how horrible a decision it is to legalize
cannabis is absurd and every argument I see against it is riddled with
hypocrisy and terrible ideas (permit fee, plain packaging, heavy fees
and high prices, selling in MLL liquor stores etc.) Base Manitoba's
policies on evidence, and if you're going to write a piece on all the
negatives about it, at least offer some evidence.

Though Manitoba may not be as progressive as a whole on this topic,
Malcolm Bird is on the other side of the fence with regard to most
Canadians' opinions. We all realize marijuana is far less dangerous
than the drug of choice for the past 100 years - alcohol - and we're
tired of being told it's going to kill us all.

Jordan Coates

Winnipeg
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MAP posted-by: Matt