Pubdate: Wed, 25 Sep 2013
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2013 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: 
http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Daniel Duff

MARIJUANA HEALS

Re: "Pot smoking hurts," Letter, Sept. 24.

Eric Collins claims smoking marijuana hurts people. It causes cancer. 
Where is the proof, Eric? Show me one case of direct cannabis-related cancer.

I know the costs of tobacco-related cancer offhand. I am sure it does 
much more damage. Alcohol, too. What is this business of it causing 
dementia? MS? Brain abnormalities. Eric, now you are just plain 
insulting people.

I am sure there are hordes of dementia patients who suffer because 
they smoked marijuana. Maybe ask someone with multiple sclerosis if 
smoking marijuana got them there. Or not, simply because those who do 
have schizophrenia, cancer, or MS were genetically predisposed.

Marijuana has been shown to greatly help those who are stricken with 
those diseases that rob people of basic dignity over time. I can find 
hundreds of peer-reviewed studies that show what marijuana can do to 
help heal people. I'd take a look at the prescription abuse risk in 
our country. One person dies every 19 minutes of a prescription death 
overdose. So tell me, Eric, what hurts more?

Daniel Duff, Calgary
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