Lies And Exaggerations

[420]

RE "Dopey drivers in sights" People should not be driving while impaired, and I think the campaign is a good idea. Unfortunately, when it comes to marijuana, "authorities" simply cannot resist the lies and exaggerations.

People can be impaired by a lot of things. Hands full with coffee or food or a cigarette, rowdy pets or passengers, CD player changes, alcohol, cell phones, cold remedies, prescription medications, fatigue, old-age, inexperience, and just plain old stupidity. To single out pot -- or even alcohol -- is arbitrary and discriminatory.

Unlike alcohol, pot can show up in your system months after the last puff. Even trace amounts will be considered "impairment," much like getting busted for "drunk driving" five days after your last drink.

There is no doubt that Officer Friendly will abuse this new privilege, profiling youth, and especially people of colour. This will lead to many wrongful convictions, and cases being thrown out due to questionable evidence, which will waste even more time and money.

The key to keeping people from driving while impaired lies in truthful education. If the past 80 years of propaganda is any indication, we won't be seeing any of that real soon.

Russell Barth,

Federal Medical Marijuana Licence Holder

( For someone who says he thinks the campaign is a good idea, you leave us with the opposite impression )

Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: oped@ott.sunpub.com
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/