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Show The THC habit Why all the fuss about drugs? What does it have to do with me? And besides whose business is is anyway, what I think or do about drugs? These are some of the questions concerning the use and mi: use oi drugs being asked by the citizens of our nation and of the free world. Don't be misled, however, the communist world is also being plagued by an extensive misuse of drugs. The question of the sudden interest in the misuse of drugs is easy to answer. In the past reveral years there has been an increase in the misuse or abuse of beneficial drugs as well as dangerous drugs. The dangerous drugs, of primary interest here, can lead to psychological dependence; moreover, more-over, certain drugs, such as LSD, STP, and marijuana the hallucinogens can damage the mind, and have no known medical benefit whatsoever. To get a glimpse of why the fuss about drugs, just take a brief look at the affects that one of the hallucinogenic drugs alone might have on the human body and mind. Marijuana, known also as l:pot" or "grasr," is the most frequently abused of the hallucinogenic drugs. Very little is known concerning its long-termed effects, but in its mildest forms it dees not appear to be physically aangerous. Nevertheless, one can't be certain that it if totally safe, for in its stronger forms, marijuana can cause psychotic reactions in almost everyone. Marijuana's active ingredient, tetrahydrccannabini or 'THC" is potentially very dangerous, and while a given dosage may not have apparent ill effects on another perron, that fact is no protection for anyone. The use of marijuana is particularly hazardous. While under its influence, concepts of time and space can be radically radi-cally distorted, and response to an emergency becomes unpredictable. un-predictable. A "pot'' at the wheel of an automobile makes it a deadly dangerous weapon to others and a bcoby trap to himself. Another important reason for not using "pot" stems from its being against federal law tc use or possess. The penalties can be as much as ten years in the penitentiary and a $20,000 fine for a first offenre. Its sale, use or possession pos-session is likewise a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Mili-tary Justice, punishable by court-martial with a dishonorable dishonor-able discharge and up to five years in prison as the end result. Only the individual can decide if he desires to get caught in the drug trap, to take time out to think is a few moments of false pleasure worth a lifetime of sorrow? |