Pubdate: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2010 Russell Barth Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Russell Barth Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n1056/a04.html POT CLARITY Re: Cannabis Clarity, letter to the editor, Dec. 24. The "link" between marijuana use and psychosis is nothing more than that -- a link. The studies that show this link point out that it is equally as likely that the use of cannabis may have been caused by the symptoms, not vice versa. There is no evidence to support the notion that cannabis "causes" anything. Furthermore, pot use in Canada has quadrupled in the past 30 years, and the potency of pot has increased significantly. Yet the rate of schizophrenia has remained the same, at about 1.1% of the population. Where is the influx of new pot-induced mental patients clogging up our hospitals? Nonexistent. The best reason to legalize pot is to continue researching its vast cancer-fighting potential. Russell Barth, federally licensed medical marijuana user, Nepean, Ont. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake