MARIJUANA LAWS HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR POTENCY

Marinol a Weak Excuse for Real Thing

Regarding Rhonda Swan's thoughtful column, "What is America smoking?"
(March 13):

There is a reason Ms. Swan's mother did not find adequate relief from
Marinol, the prescription pill falsely touted by our government as a
substitute for medical marijuana. Marinol contains only one of more
than 60 active components in marijuana, called cannabinoids. While THC
is entirely responsible for marijuana's "high," research has shown
definitively that it is not responsible for all of marijuana's
therapeutic benefits. In one recent study of HIV/AIDS patients, it
took eight times the recommended dose of Marinol to roughly equal the
effect of relatively weak marijuana - and even then the marijuana was
more effective by some measures.

Our current marijuana policies are based on myth and misinformation,
not science. It is long past time to rethink our laws from top to bottom.

Bruce Mirken, director of communications

Marijuana Policy Project