DEBUNKING MYTHS

Re: Marijuana isn't safe, March 24.

I have read every word Dan Gardner has written about marijuana in the
Citizen. Far from "trying to convince us that marijuana is harmless" as
letter-writer Peter Drevniok contends, Mr. Gardner has clearly described
negative effects of marijuana use and abuse.

For some people, the use of aspirin is harmful and its abuse can be deadly.
That can be said of nearly all drugs and marijuana is a drug. It will never
be "harmless" but criminalizing it has done more harm than good.

If we are to deal effectively with the problems of drug abuse and
addiction, we need education, regulation, treatment and enforcement --
certainly not propaganda, misinformation, prohibition and incarceration.

By debunking the exaggerated and misleading claims of U.S. drug czar John
Walters, Mr. Gardner improves our chances of adopting healthy policies that
reduce the harm of all drugs, including marijuana.

Harvey Davey,

Ottawa