THE recent march in Cork to legalise cannabis for medical purposes was well-attended and covered by the mass media.
I attended the march and was so proud of the job done by the organisers “Legalise Cannabis Ireland” and “Students for a Sane Drug Policy”.
Please allow me to answer a very frequently-asked question regarding the use of cannabis.
Has anyone ever died from smoking marijuana?
The answer is “no” — not even one.
The federal agency NIDA in the United States of America stated that 75 people per year are high on marijuana when they die, but this does not mean marijuana is a factor in any of their deaths.
The following figures may place drugs in perspective:
* The number of deaths per year from tobacco in the United States — 340,000 to 395,000.
* Alcohol (not including accidents) — 125,000 plus
* Drug overdoses (prescription) 14,000 to 27,000
* drug overdose (drugs) 3,800 to 5,200
* Marijuana — Zero.
Vincent J Lavery
Chair, Decriminalise Illegal Drugs
Dalkey
Co Dublin
Source: www.irishexaminer.com
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, May 16, 2011
