DRUGS QUANTITY IS THE REAL PROBLEM

I read Andrew Metcalfe's letter last week regarding the dangers of cannabis
with interest.

Mr Metcalf makes many salient points about the misuse of this drug, but I
can't help but feel that the replacement of the word cannabis with alcohol
would render his letter equally valid. A person close to me is an alcoholic,
and the dreadful consequences of this are all to similar to Mr Metcalfe's
example of a person addicted to cannabis.

Surely the point is that it is the quantity of these drugs that is the
problem rather than the actual drugs themselves. It is said that a glass of
red wine is beneficial - cannot the same be said of a cup of 'herbal' tea.

However the same cannot be said of a third drug, tobacco. Although not
disputing the problems that cannabis and alcohol can cause, surely tobacco
is the most lethal of the three. Not only can you kill yourself with it, but
also the non-smokers around you. And a puff on a cigarette is most
definitely not beneficial! If any of the three drugs should be banned,
surely it is this one.

Helen Sanderson, Millport