MEDICAL USE WOULD CUT THE CACHET OF CANNABIS

In The Sun's article "U.S. resists marijuana for the sick" (May 6)
opponents of medical cannabis say that its benefits are outweighed by
other considerations. Their largest fear is that medical use would
increase general drug use, as children seeing adults smoke cannabis for
illnesses might be encouraged to use it.

Unlike most medicines, cannabis has no known lethal dose. Nevertheless,
side effects may occur with large doses.

These may be largely avoided by controlling the dose, which can be
easily accomplished by smoking. Large doses are unnecessary to relieve
debilitating symptoms. Small doses minimize the possibility of
respiratory problems.

And, rather than encouraging children to use cannabis, the sight of very
sick older people medicating with cannabis should deglamorize its use.

Kevin Fansler, Havre de Grace