MAD ON THE STREET

SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

A few weeks ago, the Institute of Medicine, an affiliate of the
National Academy of Sciences, released a report advocating marijuana
use to help relieve suffering for AIDS and cancer patients. Feeling
any pain?

Shanda Downs Age: 30 Resides: Ditmas Park, Brooklyn Occupation: Systems
security administrator

Should medical marijuana be legalized? I think so. Only for those who
suffer so much, like AIDS patients.

Should marijuana be legalized? I don't think so. We have enough of a
drug problem already.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? I tried it once.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? I do think it is a gateway
drug. When the high is not enough, they'll go to the next level.

Tim Kobin Age: 34 Resides: Sydney, Australia Occupation: Theater designer

Should medical marijuana be legalized? Yeah. Other drugs are legal,
like alcohol or tobacco. It doesn't mean everybody's going to be an
alcoholic.

Should marijuana be legalized? I don't see why not.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? Yeah. But I choose not to
anymore.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? Oh, no. It's
ludicrous.

Tonja Weary Age: 28 Resides: Upper East Side Occupation: Administrative
assistant

Should medical marijuana be legalized? Yes. If it can medically help,
why not? It comes from the ground. It's all-natural.

Should marijuana be legalized? Yes. I think alcohol should be made
illegal more so than marijuana.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? Yes. When I was younger. It didn't
hinder me in any way.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? That's a
misconception.

Gordon Phillips Age: 76 Resides: Village Occupation: Writer

Should medical marijuana be legalized? It's too general a statement.
If it can have a specific use in specific cases, it warrants discussion.

Should marijuana be legalized? No. It's the first step down a
dangerous path. I think people put enough poisons in their body just
by eating. They don't need more.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? No.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? Any drug leads to further
drug use. It's one step down a slippery slope.

Keelia Age: 19 Resides: Union Square Occupation: Student

Should medical marijuana be legalized? Yes. Like in cases of glaucoma,
it really alleviates suffering. Any natural form you can find to use
to alleviate suffering is preferable to those that are
synthesized.

Should marijuana be legalized? On one level, yes, and on another, no.
Because of the repression in our society, it could run rampant, cause
chaos if you did it overnight. But it's not as dangerous as something
like alcohol.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? Yes. I didn't like
it.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? That's completely
dependent on the individual. There are studies that say that it does.
But you can use studies to prove anything.

Jurij Hirniak Age: 45 Resides: East Village Occupation: Unemployed

Should medical marijuana be legalized? If it's proven that it can help
medically, I don't see why it shouldn't be used.

Should marijuana be legalized? No. A lot of times you will be so high
that you'll feel such a euphoria that you have no control over yourself.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? I used to.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? No.

Thomas Benjamin Age: 34 Resides: Brownsville, Brooklyn Occupation:
Maintenance

Should medical marijuana be legalized? Yeah. When you think about
people on chemo, they need it. They need to build up their appetite
and that stuff works, it makes you hungry.

Should marijuana be legalized? That's hard to say. Probably
not.

Have you ever smoked marijuana? Yeah. I used to smoke it every day.
Not anymore. Party's over. You have to grow up.

Does marijuana use lead to harder drug use? No. For some people, it's
the social climate. You know, try some of this, try some of that. It's
not marijuana.