Editor: As a senior, I take no position on whether cannabis should or should not be legalized, however I鈥檓 not sure how 91原创 council voted 8-1 in favor of forcing cannabis retailers to follow the same rules for advertising as cigarettes, nor where the comparison between cigarettes and cannabis originated. Is it because they can both be smoked? That is where the similarities end.
Cigarettes have killed millions worldwide, cannabis consumption has never caused a death ever in history. Cigarettes have no medicinal value, cannabis has dozens of medicinal uses and has been used as medicine for thousands of years, including more recently as a means for addicts and alcoholics to beat their addictions.
Alcohol causes violence, depression and many life-threatening diseases and is advertised at sporting events everywhere. Maybe we could more accurately request that cannabis retailers use the same model as alcohol or medicines such as Viagra or the countless other pharmaceutical drugs that cause numerous side effects, including death, that are advertised on TV.
As such, I applaud Coun. Petrina Arnason for her common sense voting against this ridiculous motion that was somehow passed on Sept 11.
This rule, if implemented, will obviously invite lengthy legal constitutional challenges at the expense of 91原创 taxpayers and I am left wondering if council members are already testing the product prior to legalization.
George Lancaster,
91原创
