Letter Of The Day: NO SMOKING GUN FOR POT

RE "REBAGLIATI disgraces medal," by Earl McRae (Feb. 14): I could spend
this entire letter simply slamming Mr. Earl McRae's column about Ross
Rebagliati simply for the cruel manner in which he treated Mr. Rebagliati's
character, lifestyle, and friends. This was, in my honest opinion, a
completely unwarranted, distasteful, and uneducated attack from an
obviously grossly ignorant individual who, by some unknown manner, seems to
have gained access to a major newspaper's printing presses. But, now on
with the real letter to the editor.

Yes, marijuana is safe. How safe, you may ask? Well, Francis Young, a DEA
judge, said it was very safe. After reviewing the results of an extensive
study done on the effects of marijuana, Mr. Young concluded, "...marijuana
is the safest therapeutically active substance known to man." Safest known
to man. Hmmm, now that's a pretty powerful statement. That means that
cannabis is even safer than aspirin. People have died from taking aspirin.
In the history of mankind, nobody has ever died from the use of cannabis.

Mr. McRae, your little parable of the "mother to eight-year-old daughter"
made me want to puke. I know plenty of people who smoke pot, and none of
them would do such a thing. This is simply ridiculous.

Marijuana stays in your system for weeks. There's a very good chance that
Mr. Rebagliati didn't even smoke pot any time near the Olympic games. And
even if he did, so what? An adult should be able to do what he wants as
long as he is not depriving any other person of his rights.

Mr. McRae, I suggest that you brush up on your marijuana information a bit.
I also suggest that you brush up on your manners a lot.
You owe Mr. Rebagliati an apology.

Kevin Cornett Cynthiana, KY, U.S.

(Don't expect Earl to change his mind)

Letter:

IF I read one more letter to the editor written under the false pretence
that it is supporting Ross Rebagliati but is actually advocating the
legalization of marijuana on the grounds that alcohol claims far more lives
and causes far more accidents than pot I'm going to puke.

I have no doubt that alcohol is a dangerous drug, but is this a reason why
marijuana should be legalized? No! This statistic argues that alcohol
should be criminalized. Marijuana smokers, your argument for legalization
is much like that of a young boy who justifies his errant behavior by
explaining to his mother that his older brother is doing something else
which is equally nefarious. Don't spoil someone else's good fortune.

Paul William

(As we understand it, your last line is the pot smokers' argument in a
nutshell)