"Reefer madness" must stop. Dangerous untrue marijuana propaganda
continues. It causes pot users to go on to more dangerous drugs. Example:
ABC's Prime Time Live, 31997: "One to three marijuana joints a day
produces lung damage equivalent to smoking five times as many cigarettes."
"Smoking pot causes genetic changes in cells that line the lungs that can
lead to cancer." "Marijuana is capable of causing physical addiction."
"Marijuana is a gateway drug. Kids who use pot are 65 to 85 times more
likely to use cocaine or other addictive substances "
Not one of those statements have ever been proven. Yet the lies continue.
Material came from the Partnership For a Drug Free America who have aired
other untrue "facts": The frying pan containing the sizzling egg,
captioned, "This is drugs. This is your brain on drugs." They showed a 14
year old pot smoker hooked up to wires. A flat line signified brain damage.
It was later proven the machine wasn't connected. Another: A sad couple
said they couldn't have kids because the husband used to smoke pot. After
the Amtrak train accident in 1987. "They say pot doesn't kill, but I lost
my wife and two kids in a train accident caused by marijuana." Tests
showed alcohol. No pot.
I knew a young man who was frightened off of pot from untrue propaganda.
He tried heroin and died from an overdose.
"Pot phobia" must stop. No one has ever died from marijuana. 500,000
Americans die annually from nicotine cigarettes and alcohol.

David R. Ford,
Sonoma, CA
drford@vom.com