The conclusions of the panel of experts convened at the request of the
National Institutes of Health were amazingly frank and accurate, given the
political dynamite with which they were dealing.

The opinion that whatever evaluation of safety and efficacy marijuana is
subjected to, it will have the added burden of proving it is the best agent
available would be regarded as facetious if made about any other class of
therapeutic agents. In the case of marijuana, for a scientist to allow that
such an outcome is even possible is regarded as dangerous heresy and its
utterance a mark of defiance.

This is the sad state of affairs American drug policy has brought us to.
The most realistic hope at this point is that if enough rational people are
motivated to think about these problems, they may gain enough insight into
the ridiculous and destructive nature of the paradigm of doctrinaire global
drug prohibition to want to change it.

Thomas O'Connell
San Mateo, California