Pubdate: Sat, 07 Sep 2002
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Paul DeFelice, Partner, Holy Smoke Culture Shop, Nelson, B.C.

POT WORSE?

Re: Pot worse than alcohol, Harper says, Sept. 6.

Besides the fact that teens already have access to black market pot of 
questionable purity from completely unregulated criminal sources who also 
supply coke and heroin, choosing cannabis is healthier than choosing 
alcohol or tobacco.

Australian studies have shown that when access to cannabis is liberalized 
there is a "substitution effect" resulting in less deaths due to drinking. 
Since pot has resulted in no known deaths and alcohol can result in 
immediate death to a teen from driving or overdosing or poor judgement 
while drunk, it would be in everyone's better interest if that teen chose 
pot instead.

I would also just like to remind readers that the police are supposed to 
enforce the laws, not set them. The Canadian Police Association lobbying to 
keep pot prohibition in place is more of a "back to school gift for drug 
pushers" than the senate report since the black market is what fuels 
organized crime. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart