Pubdate: Tue, 10 Sep 2002
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Larry A. Stevens
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

MARIJUANA IS THE MOST-STUDIED PLANT IN HISTORY

Re: Senate has gone too far, expert argues, Sept. 5.

Carleton University Professor Peter Fried claims we don't know enough about 
marijuana to legalize it. I say we didn't know enough about it to 
criminalize it in the first place.

Mr. Fried has spent more than 20 years looking for some health risk 
associated with cannabis, and the worst he can say is that he doesn't yet 
know enough about it to say.

Whatever risk there might be certainly pales in comparison to the very real 
and established harms of cannabis prohibition. That's reason enough to 
legalize it right now.

There's never been a more studied plant in history. Canada should ignore 
the madness that this plant inspires in some of its abstainers (especially 
from my side of the border), and move toward a sensible cannabis policy. 
Please show us the way.

Larry A. Stevens,

Springfield, Illinois
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom