WHATEVER ITS SINS, POT IS NOT POISONOUS

Q: I feel compelled to point out that the duchess of Northumberland is
mistaken to include marijuana (Cannabis sativa) in her "poison garden" (Ask
Dr. Hort, March 23). Marijuana is many things and there are plenty of good
reasons to encourage kids not to use it, but it is not a poison. As
University of Southern California substance abuse researcher Mitch
Barleywine explains in his book, "Understanding Marijuana" (Oxford
University Press, 2002):

"Cannabis is essentially nontoxic. No one has ever died from THC poisoning.
It is literally impossible to overdose fatally by smoking marijuana and
scientific studies have never found that marijuana use leads to premature
death or increased rates of mortality." Having transmitted the duchess'
misunderstanding to readers, I hope you will consider correcting the record
in a future column.

A: Consider it done, but also consider that she might be including, for
teaching purposes, plants that are bad for you (though not necessarily
fatal) in her poison garden at her historic Alnwick Castle in northeast
England. She might well have cannabis planted with sugarcane, marshmallow
and poison ivy. Still, your point is well taken. Thanks to Bruce Mirken,
director of communications, Marijuana Policy Project, Capitol Hill,
Washington, D.C.

Victor Yool is a certified Bay Area nurseryman.