DON'T INHALE AND DON'T EVER LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Dear Editor - Yes, contrary to what Grant G.O. Duncan writes (letter to the
editor, Sept. 21, The Guelph Mercury) it is right to punish those using
marijuana with a criminal record just as someone who steals a car would have
a criminal record. Yes, THC metabolites stay in the body for up to 30 days.

Do we want anything in the body that shouldn't be there? Yes, cannabis was
involved in 70 per cent of the approximately 50,000 drug-related charges in
1999, as Duncan confirmed. This statistic alone supports the proposition
that our society needs to rethink the harm that having cannabis so prevalent
in our society is doing. There is an increase in youth crime. Do we have
statistics on these youth involved in crime with urine and blood tests
carried out at the time of arrest to discount that marijuana and other drugs
are not part of the problem? No.

The committee report states that "Various psychiatric disorders have been
associated with chronic cannabis use: mood disorders and depressive
episodes, anxiety disorders, personality disorders as well as more severe
conditions, such as psychoses and schizophrenia" (page 150).

I would challenge parents who are having problems with their child or youth
to have him/her checked for medical problems and ask your doctor for a urine
drug test to rule out drug use. If the child/youth agrees to have the test
done by the doctor, go ahead and have it done so you know for sure -- a
surprise appointment is good. If he/she doesn't agree, then you shouldn't
accept the old "don't you trust me?", especially if other problems are
surfacing such as missing school, sleeping a lot, food binges and mood
swings.

Parents, you can obtain drug-testing supplies for your home use from the
U.S. by calling Conney Safety Products at 1-800-356-9100. As parents, we
have every right to know if our child/youth is on drugs. Drug use does
interfere with relationships and the motivation of the child/youth.

Employers, do you want your employees smoking pot on their coffee breaks?
Think about it. The United States has drug testing approved in the workplace
to keep drugs out of the workplace and reduce the chance of injury.

The joints the kids have available can be as high as 30 per cent THC. The
committee report suggests marketing cigarettes at 13 per cent which is about
the same as the joints which were smoked in the '70s contained. In a society
which is encouraging and placing warnings on cigarettes about cancer, why
would we want to legalize marijuana smoking, which is inhaled deep into the
lungs, contributing to cancer?

The committee report states "An equal product weight of cannabis provides up
to four times more tar than a strong tobacco" (page 144).

There is nothing more important than our children -- just say no to drugs.
They are bad news and they will mess up your life.

Carolann Brett

Rockwood