CANNABIS IS NOT A POISON

Editor:

At first, when I read the letter from Poldi Meindl (Feb. 16 issue) on the
internet I thought, "Nah, I don't have time to respond to this garbage,"
but then I thought "If I don't, who will?'

The fact is the whole of his argument hinges on cannabis being a poison. A
poison is something that makes you sick or kills you. By that standard,
cannabis is not a poison. It does not sicken the user, and nobody has ever
died from it.

However, alcohol, tobacco, and many prescription and over the counter drugs
can and do sicken and kill people.

Since they are poisons and cannabis is not, Mr. Meindl's efforts would be
better spent in promoting banning the true poisons with no medical
benefits, alcohol and tobacco.

What? Too difficult? People will be hurt more by illegal than by legal
alcohol and tobacco? Surely anyone with an ounce of common sense can make
the leap to "If illegal alcohol causes more harm than legal alcohol, is it
possible that by banning cannabis and other drugs we are causing more harm
to society?' Or is that too much logic for someone as biased as he is?

Bruce Symington

Medicine Hat