POT POLITICO FIRED UP BY ADDICTION STORY

I 'm compelled to correct a wrong impression that might have been left by
Dr. Ray Baker's comments about the "gateway effect" and cannabis use
["Doctor Draws On Past to Treat Addictions)", Jan. 27-Feb. 3]. Empirical
evidence has demonstrated that cannabis does not cause anyone to go on to
harder drugs. But a gateway effect may yet exist: one caused by drug
prohibition. Because drug prohibition takes place in the black market,
sellers of cannabis may also sell other drugs. A cannabis smoker, then, is
more likely to encounter--and, thus, use--other drugs. This is the real
meaning of "increased exposure", not that increased use of cannabis somehow
causes someone to want other drugs. Ending prohibition would end this
gateway effect.

Baker makes a second point worthy of comment. He suggests that someone
"addicted" to cannabis will "chip away at marijuana then replace it with
something else". Perhaps. But, again, this is not a causal effect resulting
from cannabis use. Instead, it is simply likely that the person (who happens
to smoke cannabis) has a personality type prone to "addictive" behaviour.
Cannabis is not the culprit.

It is time to end the unjust persecution of the cannabis user, and time to
end the harms caused by cannabis prohibition.

Kirk Tousaw

campaign manager

British Columbia Marijuana Party

Vancouver