THE CANNABIS DEBATE...

The cannabis debate... One beneficial component of legalizing
cannabis (marijuana) that doesn't get mentioned online (Marijuana -
Time To Make It Legal? Panel Says Yes, May 25, 2009) is that it will
lower hard drug addiction rates. DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance
Education) will have to stop brainwashing youth into believing lies,
half-truths and propaganda concerning cannabis, which create grave
problems in the future.

How many citizens try cannabis and realize it's not nearly as harmful
as taught in DARE-type government environments? Then they think other
substances must not be so bad either, only to become addicted to
deadly drugs. The old out-dated lessons make cannabis out to be among
the worst substances in the world, even though it's less addictive
than coffee and has never killed a single person.

The federal government even classifies cannabis as a Schedule I
substance along with heroin, while methamphetamine and cocaine are
only Schedule II substances. For the health and welfare of America's
children and adults, that dangerous and irresponsible message
absolutely must change.

Further, regulated cannabis sales would make it so that citizens who
purchase cannabis would not come into contact with people who often
also sell hard drugs, which would lower hard drug addiction rates.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.