An editorial “A sharp rise in illegal-drug use” observes “The changing attitudes towards marijuana do not diminish the drug’s danger to society. While there may be some medicinal benefits, marijuana contains chemicals that can be harmful to a user’s health. Pro-marijuana groups argue that pot-smoking is no better or worse than cigarettes or alcohol use.
“So, their answer is to have an even higher incidence of serious illnesses than what we have from cigarettes? And alcohol? Do we want even more broken families or put even more dangerous drivers on the roadways.
WATCHDOG: Marijuana presents far less a health problem than cigarettes or alcohol and is comparable in danger to coffee. See “Addictive Properties of Popular Drugs”, compiled from a report to the federal National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Alcohol is an “upper”, causing agressiveness. Marijuana is a “downer”, slowing people down and reducing the likelihood of auto accidents and family violence. Many problem drinkers switch to marijuana and get on with their lives.
The Watchdog does not use any illegal drugs, but his occasional shot of bourbon and a beer are far more potent and dangerous than smoking a joint.
The New Era editor who wrote the column should join journalists from throughout the world in visiting and obtaining factual information from Drug War Facts, a compilation largely of governmental and peer reviewed journal articles.
Full disclosure: Common Sense for Drug Policy, of which NewsLanc‘s publisher Robert Field is co-founder and co-chair, compiles and publishes Drug War Facts.
