NOT ENOUGH KNOWN?

Who do U of A physicians think they are to refuse a legal treatment to
patients, "Pot aid up in smoke?" July 31. Not enough known? They have been
telling us the horrors of marijuana's use for three decades, so where did
they get that information?

Pot was first made illegal to protect the cotton industry, and now I
believe they will use the same fearmongering tactics to protect drug
companies. I believe they fear that if pot is ever brought out in the open
and some real tests with real goals are ever done, a lot of headache drugs
and stress-related drugs will take major losses.

Furthermore, pot has been in widespread use for decades and we do not see
people dropping dead on the street from its use. At the same time we see
that headaches, nausea, vomiting and cramps are all acceptable side-effects
to rid us of allergies.

I did not hear this kind of opposition to feeding children Ritalin, a drug
that adult America quit using because of long-term side-effects. They still
feed it to a great number of Canadian children. Where's your outrage on
this, docs?

Besides, from what I understand, you have to be pretty well on the way to
the grave before a marijuana prescription will be issued, so are there some
long-term side-effects that you fear might hamper the health of these
people? Quit playing God. If it is legal and their preferred treatment,
then it is their right to have it, period.

D. Saar

(Legality has yet to be determined.)