MEDDLING DRUG WARRIORS

Re: your April 30 editorial, "Pot costs man shot at a liver":

The treatment of patients like Timothy Garon, who was denied a
transplant because of his marijuana use, shows how perverted American
drug policy really is. The drug warriors have been meddling with
medical practice for more than 90 years, to the detriment of patient care.

Before the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care
Organizations issued standards for hospital care requiring maximum
pain relief, the Drug Enforcement Administration had no compunction
about interfering with pain relief. Patients were routinely denied
adequate morphine because of drug warriors who never attended a day
of medical school. Every hospital must meet JCAHCO's standard to
operate legally, so the drug prohibitionists are no longer allowed to meddle.

Unfortunately, drug laws based on lies are used to deny all sorts of
medical care to people.

It's long past time to end a drug crusade that has failed for 94
straight years.

- -- Ralph Givens, Daly City