MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Just The Tip Of The Problem

Our official position on narcotic drugs is schizophrenic. Even worse, it's
foolish and counterproductive.

We could forgive ourselves a medical impairment in thinking, but why do we
continue trying to enforce idiotic laws on drugs that show just plain
ignorance?

The other day, the U.S. Supreme Court made a proper decision upholding
lower court findings against use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Numerous tests and lots of experience affirm the drug can be helpful in
treating symptoms of several diseases. Doctors are prescribing it, and
patients benefit without associated harm. A number of states have passed
laws allowing marijuana to be used for medical purposes.

But courts have found no exception for medical uses in the federal
Controlled Substances Act, which outlaws marijuana.

Clearly, the proper solution here is to fix the basic law. At the very
least, marijuana should be legalized for emmedical uses, but even with that
an eternal debate would continue to define "medical use." Obviously, the
sensible solution is simply to legalize marijuana, putting the law in sync
with popular practice.

Americans smoke marijuana by the ton. The very existence of a law
prohibiting its use is ridiculous. Worse, it spawns criminal activity even
worse than illegal smoking. All the laws accomplish is a lot of busywork
for law enforcement agents and a fair amount of crime committed by people
who want money to buy marijuana at black-market prices. How many billions
have we spent on the war against marijuana? Ridiculous.

If left to the private marketplace, marijuana would be cheaper than
tobacco. It could be more easily taxed than tobacco products, and no
black-market crime would be committed.

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling, members of Congress say
they might take up the issue this year. If so, surely they will do more
than merely approve medical uses of marijuana. Our society is harmed, not
helped, by current drug laws.