POT NOT DANGEROUS, STUDIES SHOW US

While I agree with the tone of the argument put forth by the RCMP in the
article (Under the Influence, Feb. 4), I must say the RCMP do themselves a
dis-service by not sticking to the facts when telling of new crime fighting
measures.

Recent studies show just the opposite of what Constable Beisel is telling us.

People who drive under the influence of cannabis may have been unfairly
demonized, research suggests.

The research was led by Alison Smiley and conducted at the University of
Toronto.

She compared studies that looked into how serious the impairment was from
marijuana compared with alcohol.

"There's an assumption that, because marijuana is illegal, it must increase
the risk of an accident. We should try to just stick to the facts," she says.

Her findings were published in Health Effects of Cannabis, which is
published by Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

So there you have it folks, make up your own mind but don't believe
everything the police tell you.

Duff Sigurdson