Pubdate: Sun, 25 July 1999 Source: Scotland On Sunday (UK) Contact: Helen Sanderson DRUGS QUANTITY IS THE REAL PROBLEM I read Andrew Metcalfe's letter last week regarding the dangers of cannabis with interest. Mr Metcalf makes many salient points about the misuse of this drug, but I can't help but feel that the replacement of the word cannabis with alcohol would render his letter equally valid. A person close to me is an alcoholic, and the dreadful consequences of this are all to similar to Mr Metcalfe's example of a person addicted to cannabis. Surely the point is that it is the quantity of these drugs that is the problem rather than the actual drugs themselves. It is said that a glass of red wine is beneficial - cannot the same be said of a cup of 'herbal' tea. However the same cannot be said of a third drug, tobacco. Although not disputing the problems that cannabis and alcohol can cause, surely tobacco is the most lethal of the three. Not only can you kill yourself with it, but also the non-smokers around you. And a puff on a cigarette is most definitely not beneficial! If any of the three drugs should be banned, surely it is this one. Helen Sanderson, Millport - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck