ASTHMA, POT AND STEPHEN HARPER

Prime Minister-designate Stephen Harper was briefly hospitalized on
Thursday night after an asthma attack. Just like Mr. Harper -- and one
in 10 Canadians -- my wife has asthma. Years ago, anti-convulsant
medications would aggravate her asthma, and the asthma puffer
medications would aggravate her epilepsy and cause seizures.

Since May, 2002, however, she has used no medications except medical
marijuana. She can now breathe better, sleep better and has about
one-tenth as many seizures. In short, marijuana saved her life.

Cannabis has a long and well-documented medical history as an asthma
treatment. When used in a tincture, eaten in food or used in a
vaporizer, cannabis offers absolutely no harm to the respiratory
system, while alleviating a long list of medical symptoms.

But don't tell anyone, as Big Pharma will be livid if the public
suddenly realizes that a safe, cheap herbal medicine is safer and
cheaper than their expensive, side-effect-laden products. Also,
telling the truth about cannabis and asthma might undermine the police
and government's anti-pot propaganda.

I hope Stephen Harper has a very nice time -- gasping and choking and
wheezing -- while he tries to push through his proposed anti-marijuana
legislation.

Russell Barth, Ottawa.