POT ADVOCATES SHOULD CHECK THE FACTS

Editor, The News;

On the evening of Nov. 14, I attended a forum? debate? sales meeting?
at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. To me it appears that the
session was a "high pressure" sales pitch presented by the
Pro-legalization Drug Lobby (LEAP).

I am sure that this high powered presentation would receive a glowing
report from the "sales manager" of the Pro-drug Lobby.

Presenting the pro-legalization (LEAP) side were two lawyers and a
retired Vancouver police officer. It appears to me that to try to have
a perceived balanced presentation the fourth member of the panel was
an Abbotsford police inspector. I feel that he was blindsided by the
sales format which was advertised as a debate. There was so much
mis-information presented by the LEAP sale team that it is impossible
to cover them all in one letter, so I will try to cover one.

The Legalization Lobby claims that marijuana and opiates are harmless
drugs. It was also suggested that marijuana could fit in a harm
classification with two of our popular coffee chains. This is an
opinion which can do a great deal of harm to impressionable youth.

The LEAP panel argued the point that marijuana is addictive, they did
admit that it can create a dependence. Is dependence not an addiction
to some?

Fact: Research has shown that adolescents who were heavy users of marijuana
exhibited changes in the brain similar to those found in schizophrenics.

Fact: There is four times the amount of tar in a marijuana cigarette as a
tobacco cigarette.

Fact: A major cancer causing chemical, Benzo-Pyrene is present in greater
quantities in marijuana than in cigarettes.

Fact: Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.

Fact: Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals of which 60 are
cannabinoids.

Fact: Marijuana smokers have more sick days and more doctor visits for
respiratory problems and other types of illness than non-smokers. Don't
forget the hazards of second-hand smoke to non-smokers.

Fact: Very few young people use other drugs without first trying marijuana,
alcohol or tobacco.

Parents who smoke pot, what are you saying to your children? It's OK
to smoke pot just don't get caught? Our youth are living in a
confusing world. Should we not as parents set an example for our youth
by not smoking marijuana, tobacco or using alcohol to excess?

Think about it. Protect our youth.

Eric Myrholm

Abbotsford