Pubdate: Mon, 05 Apr 2004
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2004 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact: letters@wanews.com.au
Website: http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Author: Suzanne MacKeith
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n503/a08.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

WE DISAGREE

Before making erroneous statements in the public domain, G.R. Simpson
(Letters, 29/3) needs to check the evidence. Why does he think WA's
consumption of cannabis will increase when this has not happened in other
countries, or States in Australia where cannabis decriminalisation has
operated for some years?

His stereotypical characterisation of cannabis users as spaced-out, reefer
smoking West Indians is ludicrous and his sugestion that cannabis killed
Bob Marley is inaccurate. There has not been a recorded case of cannabis
directly killing a single person in history, unlike alcohol and tobacco,
which are responsible for 96 per cent of drug-related deaths in ths
country. Decriminalising cannabis does not make cannabis legal. The
purpose is to offer cannabis users an alternative to entering the criminal
justice system, where the potential for more harm than smoking a joint
certainly exists.

Suzanne MacKeith, Connolly
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Newshawk: Niall Young

Pubdate: Mon, 05 Apr 2004

Source: West Australian (Australia)

Copyright: 2004 West Australian Newspapers Limited

Contact: letters@wanews.com.au

Website:
http://www.thewest.com.au

Details:
http://www.mapinc.org/media/495

Author: Suzanne MacKeith

Referenced:
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n503/a08.html

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

WE DISAGREE

Before making erroneous statements in the public domain, G.R. Simpson (Letters, 29/3) needs to check the evidence. Why does he think WA's consumption of cannabis will increase when this has not happened in other countries, or States in Australia where cannabis decriminalisation has operated for some years?

His stereotypical characterisation of cannabis users as spaced-out, reefer smoking West Indians is ludicrous and his sugestion that cannabis killed Bob Marley is inaccurate. There has not been a recorded case of cannabis directly killing a single person in history, unlike alcohol and tobacco, which are responsible for 96 per cent of drug-related deaths in ths country. Decriminalising cannabis does not make cannabis legal. The purpose is to offer cannabis users an alternative to entering the criminal justice system, where the potential for more harm than smoking a joint certainly exists.

Suzanne MacKeith, Connolly


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