DON'T LEGALIZE MARIJUANA USE

An Illinois House committee has forwarded legislation to the full
House that would make marijuana legal for medicinal purposes in this
state.

A number of states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington among them - have decriminalized
marijuana when it is used for medical purposes.

Although more states are considering similar legislation, we urge
Illinois lawmakers to defeat this measure.

We acknowledge that marijuana use likely has some medical benefits.
Limited studies have shown that it can improve conditions related to
appetite loss, nausea and vomiting and help ease pain caused by
arthritis and other conditions.

But other, FDA-approved drugs already are available to treat each of
these ailments.

And smoking marijuana regularly also can cause serious health
problems. It can damage brain cells and cells in bronchial passages,
which can hurt a person's immune system. There also is not enough data
to conclusively show what the long-term health effects of regular
marijuana use are.

Finally, any medical benefits that legalizing pot would have are
outweighed by the societal problems it could create.

Marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead users to try more dangerous,
addictive drugs, creating a greater burden on an already-stressed
health care system.

Marijuana users who drive are impaired, increasing the chances of
serious automobile accidents similar to drunken-driving related accidents.

Legalization increases the chances of the drug falling into the hands
of children and others who don't need it for medical reasons. It also
sends a message to children that drug use is OK.

We can appreciate the debate about the potential for marijuana to help
treat certain medical conditions. But further study is needed about
both the benefits and the costs of marijuana use.

Illinois lawmakers need to defeat this legislation.