CANNABIS AND DRIVING: published letter

Source: Yorkshire Post

Pub date: 14 January 2006

Subj: Cannabis and Driving

Web: http://www.ypn.co.uk/

Terry Smith seems to believe that the Government is going to outlaw cannabis, (letters 4/01/06). Funny I thought it already was. Of course driving whilst intoxicated is irresponsible in the extreme, whatever substance it may be, but I'm afraid that the legality of the substance concerned has absolutely nothing to do with someone’s ill judged decisions. There are at least 4 million people already using cannabis in this country and the prohibition laws are one of the biggest failures of modern times.
 
Whilst cannabis is illegal there can be no useful campaigns about driving under it's influence, something which, as yet, has not been proved to impair driving ability. In fact several studies have suggested that it's affect on driving is negligible, when compared to alcohol the legal destroyer of lives. The coroners and police officers that talk about the 'evidence' of it's effects on driving would be hard pressed to find any meaningful research, so to continue to profligate this misinformation is irresponsible beyond words, take that from someone who has 25 years research into cannabis and 4 years working in rehab. The continued spin and propaganda of a 'concerned' Charles Clarke seem to be misplaced, when you hear little of this concern about the 20 children a day admitted to hospital on mental health grounds after drinking alcohol!
 
Few things in life are free from harm, however, the overwhelming majority of cannabis users do no harm to anyone or to society, why should society wish to do harm to them? 
 
Steve Clements
The Legalise Cannabis Alliance
York
 

Smoking cannabis can have such lethal effects

From the archive, first published Wednesday 4th Jan 2006.

THE Government is right to want to outlaw cannabis and other drugs.

After seeing the lethal effects they can have on people who take to the wheel of powerful cars, I believe they should stay outlawed (Counting the cost of drug driving, December 29).

It just shows what tragedy can and does happen when under the effect of drugs. It shows how right the Government is in keeping cannabis and other mind-numbing drugs from being legalised.

Those people who campaign that drugs such as cannabis should be made legal should take a long look at the horrific pictures of the tragic car crash in which a young man died.

The driver is in prison due to driving with cannabis in his system. Keep cannabis outlawed.

Terry Smith,

Fourth Avenue,

Heworth,

York.

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