POT DOESN'T IMPAIR ALL

Re: THC levels difficult to gauge

The trial of James McIlwrick is a perfect example of why we should
push for the legalization of marijuana! This whole article
presupposes that THC is some sort of "danger" when in actual
scientific fact it has proven to be one of the most medically
beneficial substances known to man.

Since there is no way to tell exactly what is going on with pot and
impairment, that is all the more reason to take control out of the
hands of gangsters and teens, and put it into the hands of responsible adults.

The editorial said: "So until there is some way to do a roadside test
of how impaired a person who has smoked pot is, it should remain restricted."

First of all, there is a roadside test, involving measurement of
reflexes, much like a hand held video game, and it has been used in Australia.

Secondly, the only official studies conducted on cannabis and driving
took place in Europe, and they showed conclusively that cannabis
users drive slower and more cautiously than non-users.

Third, cannabis can impair some people, but it doesn't impair
everyone, or every time. People can be impaired by a coffee or
cigarette or cell phone in hand, rowdy pets and passengers, booming
stereos, over-the-counter medications, prescription medications,
blood-sugar imbalances, fatigue, inexperience, bad driving habits,
old-age, and just plain old stupidity.

To focus on any one thing is arbitrary and discriminatory, and that
is exactly what these new laws are doing. It won't matter if the
driver is tripling their dose of a prescription medication, but if
marijuana shows up in your blood, you are considered guilty until
proven innocent. So much for Canada being a "just society."

Russell Barth

Ottawa