World won’t end when pot is legal

Dear Editor: With respect to the letter by Chris Fibiger (“We will regret legal cannabis,” Okanagan Weekend, Sept. 15), the writer makes a statement that profits from pot sales should be earmarked for research.

“From a medical perspective, what, if anything cannabis is actually good for remains largely unknown,” he wrote.

This would imply that the governments of both the United States and Canada, as well as other countries, legalized the medical use of cannabis without research, which is false. I kindly invite the writer to go to Youtube, and type in either “Pot helps Parkinson’s patients” and “Pot helps cerebral palsy patient.” That is only two of the many maladies marijuana will help the symptoms of. Obviously the one who has not done research is the letter writer.

Secondly, he speaks as though on Oct. 17, millions of Canadians will be taking up the habit and sparking up everywhere, turning us into hordes on zombified citizens, when in fact, very little will change.

Nobody is abstaining just because it is illegal. I assume the writer also deems “Reefer Madness” as an accurate portrayal of the effects of recreational pot.

Stop worrying, everyone. The world is not going to end this October, unless the previous mayor and council are re-elected to Penticton City Council. Mark Billesberger

Penticton