Regarding Joseph J. Henzel's letter ("Smoking of any kind is dangerous," April 15), I will bypass the oft-discussed issue of legality of pot use and help the understanding of inexperienced drug users.
The chemical in marijuana that interacts with the brain's receptors is tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC). It's chemical properties are activated by the act of combustion. However, it is possible and popular to extract the THC from the plant itself, meaning that to absorb the "high" one never needs to inhale smoke. You may know this most commonly as pot brownies.
Provincial legalization has led to the development of companies performing this process and packaging products commercially, eliminating the need for both smoke inhalation as well as the nefarious drug dealer.
Furthermore, there are about a thousand issues more pressing to the well being of our "great society" beyond arbitrary substances. I don't profess to understand them. I'm no politician, no humanitarian, and it's no matter. Law is not power. Knowledge is power. Provide your children with a balanced education and understanding of the dangers they face outside the home and you'll do more for them than any law ever has.
Evan Chavi
Delmar