MARIJUANA USE AS A MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUE

I applaud the fair-minded analysis of the medical benefits of
cannabis ["Harmful? Helpful?," Aug. 18]. Your article avoided the
biases that so often plague this issue.

It's time that we allow medical decisions to be made by doctors, not
by politicians. I hope in future articles you will explore the
economic benefits that could be derived from the legalization of
cannabis, the No. 1 cash crop of California and the nation.

We should also reconsider the prohibitions against growing hemp in
the United States. Hemp is an entirely renewable resource that can be
used as food, fuel, clothing, paper and many other materials. Henry
Ford even used hemp to create biodegradable car parts!

Tim Martinez

Pasadena