MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Dear Editor:

Thank you for publishing the M.L. Simon's informative July 25th
column on medical marijuana. The marijuana plant has been used
medicinally for thousands of years. In 1999, the federally
commissioned Institute of Medicine report concluded that there are
limited circumstances in which smoking marijuana for medical uses is
recommended. Marijuana is one of the most studied plants around.
Nonetheless, entrenched interests riding the drug war gravy train
continue to claim that further research is needed.

Not only should medical marijuana be made available to patients in
need, but adult recreational use should be regulated as well. The
reason for this is simple: Leaving the distribution of popular
recreational drugs in the hands of organized crime puts children at
great risk. Unlike legitimate businesses that sell liquor, illegal
drug dealers do not check IDs for age, but they do push profitable,
addictive drugs like meth when given the chance. Sensible regulation
is desperately needed to undermine the thriving black market.
Marijuana is the most popular illicit drug. Compared to legal alcohol
and tobacco, marijuana is relatively harmless. Alcohol poisoning
kills thousands annually.

Tobacco is one of the most addictive drugs available. Marijuana, on
the other hand, has never been shown to cause an overdose death and
is not physically addictive. Pot may be relatively benign but
marijuana prohibition is deadly. Although there is nothing in
marijuana that compels users to try harder drugs, its black market
status puts youth in contact with criminals who push them.

Current drug policy is a gateway policy. As counter intuitive as it
may seem, replacing marijuana prohibition with regulation would do a
better job protecting children from drugs than the failed drug war.

Robert Sharpe M.P.A. Program Officer, The Lindesmith Center - Drug
Policy Foundation http://www.drugpolicy.org Washington D.C.