KIDS SHOULD LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT MARIJUANA

Re: "Public schools are plagued by pot," The Leader, Oct. 31.

As a federal medical marijuana licence holder who is also married to
one, I would like to complain about the misinformed letter by M. Brian.

Apparently, if teens don't hear the truth about how drugs will screw
up their chances of having successful futures, they will commit crimes
to feed their habits or sit on the couch for the rest of their lives.

Not everyone who uses illegal drugs has their lives ruined. In fact,
the legality of any given drug makes no difference; only about five to
seven per cent of people who use any given drug will develop a problem
with it. Legal drugs are proven to be far more dangerous and deadly
than illegal ones.

As for teachers allowing kids to give presentations on legalizing
marijuana, I think this is wonderfully progressive! The more kids
learn about marijuana, the more they realize that the government,
police, churches, teachers and media have all been systematically
lying to them.

And it is not a "fact" that pot can cause people to develop
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Recent reports from England
linking pot and metal disorders pointed to a correlation, not a cause.

Cannabis has dozens of medical applications, including alleviating
asthma, glaucoma, arthritis, depression, menstrual cramps, muscle
spasms, depression, HIV/AIDS, hep C, cancer and so on. My wife has
epilepsy and I have fibromyalgia. We both use cannabis daily, and have
experienced nothing but vast improvements in our lives.

I hope the government never legalizes pot. And the local drug dealers
thank you for your efforts. If pot were ever legalized, there would be
quality control, dose regulation and age restrictions. M. Brian
doesn't want that, apparently preferring the fear and loathing approach.

Russell Barth,

Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder,

Patients Against Ignorance and Discrimination on Cannabis,

Ottawa