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'It's not so much the drug but the consequences'

Dear Sir,

There is no question that inhaled smoke is problematic. The question of whether incarceration is an appropriate response for people using cannabis is the point I wish to make.

I believe the that the negative health and social consequences for the individual and for society of incarceration is far worse than the consequences of drug use.

Most of the negative consequences of drug use are caused by the criminality of substances not the use of substances themselves.  We are trying to incarcerate ourselves out of the drug problem rather than deal with the root causes including self medication due to poor psychological care.

We too busy thinking drugs are a moral defect to be punished rather then a medical problem that needs to be treated. And some drug use will be found to be chronic (like diabetes) and may need lifetime treatment such as opium substitution therapy.

Marcus Day

Director

Caribbean Drug & Alcohol Research Institute, St. Lucia.

[[In-content Ad]]Dear Sir

[Is marijuana as or more harmful than tobacco?] Maybe, Maybe not. According to studies by the American Institute of Cancer Research so do lots of other things, including  many of the foods people consume every day; like hot dogs, red meat, alcohol, chips, coffee... and excess body fat is supposed to increases the risk for cancer of the colon, kidneys, and pancreas, as well as post menopausal breast cancer. There are a number of things that are supposedly causing millions of people to die from cancer; but nobody knows what all of them, or any of them, really are.  There are a great number of conflicting studies.

 You have millions of people who live a lifestyle that include all of the above risks and more, live to a ripe old age, and never show a trace of cancer; while others who have lived a perfectly healthy lifestyle die from cancer. There seems to be no doubt that there are a number of things that might increase the risk of developing cancer but I know of no studies that say definitively that if you do so and so you will without a doubt develop cancer;  or if you avoid doing certain things you will never get cancer.  Some do and some don't no matter their lifestyles. A lot of people will continue with their lifestyles unless they can be told definitively that it will certainly cause cancer and kill them; and they can't be told that unless everyone living the same lifestyle develops cancer and dies. This does not happen.

 It comes down to individual choice to take the risk of continuing or changing their lifestyles. I believe that consuming marijuana (and I say consuming because it does not have to be exclusively smoked) should fall under individual choice. Some might develop cancer and die; but I personally know many who have lived to a ripe old age and did not show a trace of cancer.

 Far more damage is caused to individuals who consume marijuana through persecution and prosecution than is caused by cancer; so if it's the individual's health that one is concerned about then the persecution and prosecution should be avoided. While we assume that consumption might be harmful we know that prosecution is harmful. I am in favour of providing what is considered relevant, AND FACTUAL information to the public but it should be left up to the individual to take it or not. It should not be forced on them.

Al Eastmond

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