Letters to the Editor

Legalising cannabis is no great danger

Sir I read with sadness the letter (23 October) that stated the potential
problems of legalising cannabis.

The gateway theory of drug use has long been discredited and, without
wishing to belittle the writer's problems, cannot see that this example is
any reason for not legalising cannabis.

LSD is an extremely potent drug, which I would not wish to see freely
available to the general public. It is commonly classed as the most
'dangerous' of all drugs, due to the nature of its effects and the
miniscule amounts required to cause them.

It is also well known that any person with any potential for mental illness
would be well advised to steer clear of the powerful psychodelics such as
LSD, Mescaline or DMT.

The fact that the writer became less fearful of LSD through his cannabis
use is due to the nature of the education he received, not the effect of
the drug.

While cannabis is illegal it gives the impression that the law is not to be
trusted. If someone smokes a joint, and finds it to be as benign as it is,
how are they supposed to believe the rest of the drugs laws?

It is a well known fact that some students experiment with illegal
substances. The fact that any of his friends moved on to other socalled
'party' drugs (Ecstasy, Emphetamine and LSD) is no surprise, yet this is
part of a lifestyle choice, rather than a direct esult of smoking pot.

Obesity kills far more people than cannabis ever could, yet cream cakes are
still legal. A ridiculous argument perhaps, but still true, and indicative
of society's current policy on victimless crimes.

Andy Theyers, York, England.