CANNABIS IS SAFE

Re: "Cutting down on the green" (Feb. 19)

Writer Rachel Sunter tried to be objective about cannabis, but ended
up resorting to discredited prohibitionist claims to support the con side.

One reason to legalize the relatively safe, socially acceptable plant
that Sunter didn't mention is that it will lower hard drug addiction
rates. How many citizens try cannabis and realize it's not nearly as
harmful as taught in government education programs? Then, people
think other substances must not be so bad either, only to become
addicted to deadly drugs.

The old lessons make cannabis out to be among the worst substances in
the world, even though it's never killed a single person. The U.S.
government even classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance along
with heroin, while methamphetamine and cocaine are only Schedule II
substances. That message must change.

Regulated cannabis sales could prevent citizens who purchase cannabis
from coming into contact with people who often also sell hard drugs,
which would lower hard drug addiction rates, too.

Stan White