Pubdate: Fri, 04 Sep 1998
Date: 04/09/1998
Source: The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)
Author: Dave Haans

It was disturbing to see the April 3 story, Pot Addictive For Troubled
Teenagers reprinted without a critical analysis.

For example, where in the story does it say that these were troubled
teens, all of whom had problems before they started using marijuana,
as it does in other versions of the story?

And what makes marijuana "dangerous" in this case? Many people report
that coffee is a difficult thing to give up, yet we don't see stories
on the addictiveness, and, therefore, dangerousness, of coffee.

The Record must be aware that the studies the U.S. National Institute
of Drug Abuse is waging a campaign agaist marijuana, making vague and
unsubstantiated assertions about studies they fund which are never
adequatley reported.

I realize newspapers are under pressure to fill pages. However,
printing these types of stories without analysis makes the Record a
party to U.S. drug war propaganda.

The Record might want to reconsider carrying similar stories in the
future.

Dave Haans
Toronto