CANNABIS NOT SO DANGEROUS

To the Editor,

Gopaul Deosaran does a nice job summarizing the adverse health effects
associated with cannabis. Which only makes it doubly unfortunate that he
misses the point entirely. No one in the sensible drug law reform movement
claims that smoking cannabis is risk free, particularly for children. The
point is, prohibition is worse.

The greatest danger of using cannabis isn't the physical effects; it's the
risk of being dragged through the criminal justice system. Every year
hundreds of thousands of otherwise ordinary, non-violent and productive
adult citizens are caught up in the dragnet of prohibition, branded for
life as criminals. It's not just cannabis users who pay the price.

Annual costs of the Drug War Inc. are estimated to range up to $40 billion
in the U.S. alone, billions more around the world.

Yes, there are some risks associated with smoking pot but no greater than
any number of other legal activities such as motorcycle riding, eating a
diet high in fat or even going for a swim. If we are going to start
outlawing things that perhaps may pose some risk to someone, somewhere
sometime, well there are many currently legal substances and activities
that cause far more harm to individuals and society than does cannabis.

It is not the proper role of a limited, democratic government to protect
adult citizens from their own folly. Attempts to do so simply open the door
to intrusive, paternalistic government and cradle to grave socialism.

If we truly wish to raise a new generation of responsible citizens, the
first step is for the government to step aside and let citizens take
responsibility for their own actions and well-being.

- --Greg Francisco Board member, Teachers Against Prohibition