Pot Toking British Columbia getting Healthier

http://sierratimes.com/03/12/03/ar_pot_bc.htm

Pot Toking British Columbia getting Healthier 

Steve Kubby 

What's it like living in pot-friendly British Columbia? Well, aside from
everyone being a lot friendlier and easy going, people in the home of "BC Bud"
are getting healthier as well. Just look at the latest stats from British
Columbia's provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall: 

1. Declining death rate for cancer continues, dropping to 15.7 per 10,000 last
year. The rate was 17.08 a decade earlier. This statistic counters the
exploding cancer rates in the US and confirms research showing that cannabis
fights tumors. 

2. Lowest number of 15- to 19-year-old smokers at 16.5 per cent, less than half
the percentage of teen smokers (33.6) in Quebec. Latest study shows more BC
kids smoke pot than cigarettes. 

3. Increased life expectancy: Men at age 65 can now expect to live to 82.2, up
4.5 years from 1950; women at age 65 can expect to live to 86.4, up 5.4 years.
More confirmation that pot tokers live longer. 

4. Lowest percentage of smokers in Canada, at 20.5 per cent, down from 25.8 in
1994-95. More adults in BC smoke pot than cigarettes as well. 

5. Fewer preventable hospitalizations, a drop of 22 per cent since 1997-98,
meaning more beds for those in need. Another indication that medical use of
cannabis is helping patients and reducing public health costs. 

Dr. Kendall doesn't mention cannabis in his report, but he does cite alcohol as
the biggest problem in the province, contributing to 31 per cent of fatal
accidents, causing obesity and other serious health problems.

-- 
Phil Stovell
South Hampshire, UK