THE POT DEBATE

I find it hard to believe that most Canadians have never tried pot, and
that, if they did, 93 per cent do not indulge anymore ("Reefer madness: the
sequel," Cover, Aug. 6). I am a 33-year-old mother and I can tell you that
everyone I know smokes pot. Most of my family smokes it. So are we the only
ones who do? As far as the police saying that pot is a "gateway drug," bah,
no one I know has gotten into harder, heavier drugs. Marijuana should be
decriminalized. Here is the same old argument. I do not know anyone who has
smoked a joint or two, gotten into a car, swerved all over the road and
killed someone. Pot is a downer. It makes you want to sit and just enjoy --
so, let's get happy!

Dawn Taylor, Richmond Hill, Ont.

As a health professional, I feel there are a number of issues that need to
be resolved before we consider any changes to the legal status of marijuana
use in Canada. First, with respect to marijuana's potential as a
therapeutic drug, a great deal more research is needed. The drug needs to
go through the same system of clinical trials, to determine safety,
efficacy and correct dosages, as any other drug proposed for introduction
to the market. There has been little legitimate research on this issue; the
chill that has existed in the scientific community over marijuana use has
likely been a factor in this deficiency. Second, before we consider
legalizing recreational use of marijuana, perhaps under a system similar to
what is currently in place for alcohol, we as a society need to address the
issue of impaired driving in the context of marijuana. It would be
irresponsible to legalize marijuana until some such system is available.

Gerald M. Macdonald, RN, Grande Prairie, Alta.

Rather than dissect your article, it is perhaps more instructive to look at
the bigger picture. The marijuana of the LeDain Commission era (1970) had,
on average, psychoactive content (THC) of less than five per cent. In the
1990s, it was found as high as 52 per cent. What remains unchanged,
however, is marijuana's half-life in the human body: seven days. Those
smoking the weed more than once a week are increasing their tolerance
level, and increasing the degree of their impairment, impairment that is 24
hours a day, seven days a week. The implications for our roadways, work
sites, health-care systems and at-home environments, not to mention this
country's competitiveness/productivity, are obvious.

Ken Lane, Canadian Delegate, Drug Watch International, Victoria

How any society can allow two of the most addictive, socially disruptive
and potentially life- and family-destroying substances known to man to be
bought, sold and taxed legally is beyond me. If marijuana had the same
qualities and effects on the human brain that alcohol and tobacco do, I
would be the first to say no to its legalization. As you point out, there
is little or no evidence that the legalization or decriminalization of
marijuana would lead to anarchy. If the government decides to legalize it,
it should mandate its harvest to maintain the integrity of its composition.
Doing so would avoid the problems we now face with tobacco and ensure the
viability of local or regional indoor/outdoor growers and farmers.

Nigel Osborne, Hamilton

The war against drugs is an abject failure. It would be more sensible for
the government to control the production, importation and sale of these
substances. Governments already regulate alcohol, gambling and cigarettes.
The addition of recreational drugs only makes sense. Enforcing a ban on
some substances while collecting revenues from others is hypocritical. When
Prohibition was repealed, it was assumed that alcohol abuse would
skyrocket, that it would lead to the absolute moral decimation of society.
It didn't happen. I don't believe it will happen now.

Hugh d'Entremont, Dartmouth, N.S.