BARRIE HEALTH EXPERT BLASTS LEGALIZING POT

That's how Dr. Peter Sullivan of Barrie views decriminalizing
pot.

"I see the results of marijuana use all the time," said Sullivan, who
offers counseling for drug addiction and alcohol abuse in Barrie. "I'm
very much against it, even for medical conditions. It is an addictive
drug with several serious side effects. I do not believe this drug
should be decriminalized."

Sullivan's views surfaced after a suggestion was made by a Senate
committee earlier this week to legalize the drug and regulate it like
alcohol, meaning people as young as 16 could possess and use small
amounts of cannabis without facing a criminal charge.

And although the final decision rests in the federal government's
hands with study findings expected to be released no earlier than next
year, the suggestion of legalizing dope has raised some concerns among
the public. Joseph Matner, who lives in Barrie's east end, said if
people are already using the herb, which when inhaled causes an
intoxicated feeling, why not legalize it.

"It won't make much difference - everyone's already using it. Just
legalize it and then control the use," Matner, 41, said.

And as far as the health risks go, Matner noted that smoking pot
"couldn't be worse than cigarettes."

But there are arguments for both sides, as Jae Fratzl, Barrie's
clinical supervisor for Simcoe Outreach Services, pointed out yesterday.

"A lot of people argue that marijuana is natural - that's one side of
the argument," she said. "The other side is that there's more tar in
(a joint) than in a cigarette. If you think about it, there's also no
filter when you're inhaling it."

Health problems resulting from inhaling the dried hemp plant include
both long term and short term memory loss as well as comprehension
difficulties. It is also addictive, causes a feeling of anxiety, and
users can experience flue-like withdrawals, vomiting and
convulsions.

"It impacts a lot of things - how well you drive, think, your body. So
it doesn't matter that it's natural -it's still not the greatest for
your health. You're inhaling toxins."

And that's exactly Jack Vandenberg's point.

"It's impossible to know all the health problems pot could cause,"
said Vandenberg, co-ordinator of Addiction Services for Royal Victoria
Hospital. "You have to weigh out all the pros and cons - I just don't
see any pros right now."

Approximately 90 per cent of the clients using the addiction services
have addiction problems with alcohol and marijuana use.

"They literally go hand in hand," explained Vandenberg, who has worked
in the drug addiction field for 30 years. "Many people think it's
harmless. Calling it a soft drug is very misleading."

He noted that the drug is now approximately 10 times more stronger
than it was in the 1960s.

"We're dealing with something very different now. Those who purchase
the drug from the street don't even know what it's laced with. It
seems irrational and illogic to legalize something creates such an
effect on people. I just don't see what the good in it is."

And although he supports using the drug for medicinal purposes, he
noted legalizing pot is not the way to go.

"Why open this can of worms? We already see the problems with alcohol
abuse ... why would we make something like this readily available to
people who do not know how to use it responsibly?" he asked. "It
doesn't make sense." "I think it's fair to say that the more available
something is, the more it will be used," added Fratzl.

Marijuana was first banned in 1923. As many as 600,000 Canadians are
currently carrying a criminal record for possess the drug. A new
Senate committee report estimates as many as two million Canadians
have used cannabis in the last year - approximately 100,00 people
include it in their daily routine.