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02/25/2003: "Forwarded Email: How Gullible Are We?"

A freshman at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater
Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how
conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and
spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he
urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total
elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide."

And for plenty of good reasons, since it can:
1. cause excessive sweating and vomiting
2. it is a major component in acid rain
3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
4. accidental inhalation can kill you
5. it contributes to erosion
6. it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.
Forty-three said yes, six were undecided, and only one knew
that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"
He feels the conclusion is obvious.

Related Resources

Drug War Facts - http://www.drugwarfacts.org

Frequently Asked Questions About Marijuana - http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/hempfaq1.htm

Major Studies of Drug Policy - http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/hempfaq1.htm