MARIJUANA MYTHS REPEATED AS FACT - AND THEY ARE NOT

Editor:

Re: The Canadian Mental Heath Association's column of Sept. 10 ('For
the sake of your mental health, don't let your brain go to pot'):

Could the Kamloops chapter of the CMHA provide references to support
the claims in this article?

"It would seem these fears are coming to fruition as more and more
teens are being treated for psychosis that appears to have been
brought on by marijuana use."

Where can I find information on this? Are there statistics somewhere
that are public? "Appears to have been" is not the same as "was
definitely caused by."

Canada has the highest reported usage of cannabis yet rates of
schizophrenia remain flat.

This makes me think most research in this area is junk science
produced to support a failed prohibition.

It's just as likely people affected by schizophrenia self-medicate
with cannabis to feel better creating the correlation.

Correlation is not causation. This and similar "research" attempts to
scapegoat cannabis using statistics to explain phenomena that is
obviously not well understood. This supports a "gateway" effect that
puts more vulnerable people in prison, exacerbating their problems,
and thus does a great disservice to those who do suffer from various
mental issues.

When people aren't getting thrown in prison for cannabis, I might
reconsider; however, the political nature of this issue taints the science.

Certainly, youths should not do drugs, but most cannabis research in
that area is used to continue the prohibition for adults.

So, facts are required, please.

Colin Walker

New Westminster