DON'T OVERLOOK MARIJUANA'S DANGERS

Re: Reefer madness remains, editorial, June 24.

Your editorial accusing the federal government of "reefer madness" in
relation to the medical use of marijuana raises several issues that concern
us at Operation PAR Inc.

The medical use of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, may indeed help
to lessen the pain many individuals experience from chemotherapy, AIDS,
multiple sclerosis, etc. Our concern relates to the way arguments about
prescriptions and research are couched. As we see it, the issue is not THC;
the issue is smokable marijuana. We are very concerned about any public
initiative, which might make smokable marijuana sound in any way benign to
children and teenagers. For the past 30 years we have been treating
individuals and families damaged by substance abuse. And our experience has
taught us that marijuana is definitely an abused substance.

Your editorial may leave readers, especially young readers, with the
impression that concerns about the harmful effects of using marijuana are
indeed "reefer madness." The reference to a silly movie made 60 years ago
trivializes the very real dangers that marijuana represents to the young
people in our community. Our concern at Operation PAR is for the young
people and their families who have been, or may be, damaged through the
non-medical use of marijuana.

Calls for continued, controlled experimentation into the use of THC are not
bad provided that the discussion stresses that there are very real dangers
involved with the chemical. A useful parallel might be drawn to opiates.
Very few editorials are written suggesting that the public smoke opium or
inject heroin instead of using opiate pain killers prescribed or
administered by a qualified physician. The public at large is aware of the
dangers of opium and heroin. The same cannot be said about marijuana.

At Operation PAR, we have generated both anecdotes and corroborative
support for the findings of many researchers on the effects that marijuana
has on some of the people who use it. First, marijuana is addictive. Second
marijuana is the major gateway drug for teenagers who later become involved
with heroin and cocaine. Third, prolonged marijuana use results in
short-term memory loss and impaired judgment, perception and motor skills.
We hope that any responsible discussion of the use of THC will not overlook
the fact that marijuana can be dangerous. References to "reefer madness"
serve to discount the research findings of the past 20 years and imply that
responsible concerns about marijuana are as exaggerated as that old movie.

Shirley D. Coletti is President of Operation PAR, Inc., Pinellas Park