Pubdate: Fri, 09 Oct 2015
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2015 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Des Colohan
Page: A6

NICOTINE MUCH MORE ADDICTIVE

Stephen Harper and Ron Jenkins believe that marijuana use is
infinitely more dangerous than tobacco use. I wonder how they arrived
at that conclusion?

According to the World Health Organization, tobacco products are
consumed by 1.3 billion people around the world and are directly
responsible for 8.8 per cent of the deaths in the world while causing
four per cent of total years of life lost. There are 147 million world
marijuana users, out of 185 million illicit drug users. Illicit drugs
cause 0.4 per cent of deaths in the world and are responsible for 0.8
per cent of years of life lost. Nicotine is the most highly addictive
drug in the world (32 per cent addiction liability) while marijuana
has an estimated nine per cent addiction potential.

What is the argument for marijuana being infinitely more dangerous
than tobacco?

Des Colohan, MD, Charlottetown
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MAP posted-by: Matt