Pubdate: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 Source: Statesman Journal (Salem, OR) Copyright: 2008 Statesman Journal Contact: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/427 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n800/a10.html Author: Philip Rance GOVERNMENT LIES ABOUT DANGERS OF MARIJUANA Ellen Pollard's Aug. 18 letter repeats the lies our government has continued to disseminate. Our problem is meth and prescription drugs kids take from their parents' medicine cabinet. It is also a government based on lies to the people to support an agenda. Kids are smart and they know when they are lied to, which means they don't believe anything the government says when they have already been lied to about marijuana. The true gateway drugs are alcohol and nicotine, but because they are big business with a lot of political contributions, they are OK. Children smoke and drink for life because that's what their parents do. There is absolutely no evidence to show that marijuana is addictive. We will save our children when we stop allowing the government to lie to them. The only thing addictive about marijuana is law enforcement's addiction to asset forfeiture and bigger and better SWAT team equipment. We'd all be a lot safer if the SWAT teams were sent to Afghanistan where our true enemy is. Philip Rance, Keizer