LETTER ABOUT MARIJUANA DIDN'T STICK TO FACTS

Taking a stand against drug abuse is a good thing, but doing so at the
expense of the truth is not. Since some people will likely read the letter
entitled "Stop Insane Talk of Legalizing Marijuana" by Shannon Worthington
and believe the "facts" contained therein, I feel it is my moral obligation
to correct Ms. Worthington on several points. I'm not a doctor or
pharmacologist, but I did do extensive research on the known facts about
marijuana for a college term paper about the legalization issue.

First, Ms. Worthington writes, "Marijuana is the most commonly used drug in
society today." Sorry, Ms. Worthington. but that honor goes to caffeine.
The number two spot goes to alcohol. Tobacco is number three. Marijuana is
probably a close fourth.

Next she says, "Read the statistics, smoking pot kills you." What
statistics Ms. Worthington? According to the federal government's own
Bureau of Mortality Statistics and the National Institute on Drug Abuse for
1994, alcohol kills over 150,000 per year. Tobacco kills 340,000 to
450,000. How many does marijuana kill? Zero. That's right, zero.

She then says that, according to the ADA, marijuana is the cause of "acute
panic anxiety." This sounds kind of like one of those imaginary diseases
like "fibromengia" or "chronic fatigue syndrome." If a person uses
marijuana and is afraid to go out, it's probably because he knows marijuana
is illegal and, therefore, socially unacceptable.

Then she goes on to say, "In such a technological age, why use marijuana as
medicine? I've got a better question. Why use inadequately tested,
potentially hazardous, ridiculously expensive artificial chemicals when
Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdon, has provided us with a medicine that
is easy to produce, inexpensive, and much more effective? Answer: because
you can't patent a natural substance. What a horrible shame it would be if
our beloved pharmaceutical industry couldn't make those astronomical
profits at the expense of the old and the sick. And yes, it is possible
that people might abuse their marijuana prescription just like it's
possible for people to abuse, sell, or steal any prescription drug such as
valium, halcion, prozac, etc.

In short, marijuana does not kill you, marijuana has medicinal value, and
the federal government is more concerned about protecting the profits of
big corporations than the health of its citizens or the rights of the sick
and dying.