IMPAIRED JUDGEMENT CAUSES PROBLEMS

Re: Alcohol Abuse More Prevalent Than Pot, Feedback, the Observer, Oct. 15.

It seems in Arthur Topham's mind, and perhaps experience, marijuana
is not a harmful drug, but has become a herb. Unfortunately, Topham
carefully avoids to mention all the pitfalls of the this "benign and
innocuous herb" as he describes it.

He is referring it to drug testing carried out at West Fraser Mills
(13 fail drug tests, the Observer, Oct. 1).

As a former heavy equipment operator, I cannot imagine working
alongside someone who is operating a large and dangerous machine, who
has just had a smoke (or toke) break. Let alone facing a large,
loaded truck on the highway whose driver has just had a coffee and
"toke" break. I would imagine the majority of people will agree with me.

What Topham fails to mention about this "herb" marijuana are the
following proven facts.

A person's body is capable of flushing alcohol out of its system
within 24 hours. The body cannot handle the chemicals contained in
marijuana quite so readily.

A regular user will have those chemicals stored in body tissues until
one's system can dispose them.

Once a regular user stops smoking pot, it can take a person's body up
to five months to eliminate all those chemicals. In other words, you
can continue to have a slight buzz during some of that time.

Marijuana today, as opposed to several years ago, is several times as
potent, with the modern growing methods and chemicals used to grow.
No wonder the Americans prefer "B.C. Bud" which is smuggled across the border.

It is a proven fact almost everyone that has moved on to more potent,
addictive drugs, has begun with marijuana. It is also a proven fact
students who begin to regularly smoke the substance, take a downward
spiral in so far as their grades and performance goes, and many of
them become drop outs.

Can you imagine, if marijuana is such a benign and innocuous herb,
having regular marijuana breaks instead of the current smoke breaks
at your place of work?

The common term for a heavy marijuana user is "pothead." Why? Because
his ability to function normally has been impaired. And Topham claims
in his letter that "marijuana is not a danger to society."

Wayne Charlton,

Kersley