MARIJUANA MYTHS

The Summit Prevention Alliance's (SPA) claim that marijuana use causes
brain damage and mental illness (Letters, July 5) harkens back to the
inane assertions used to outlaw cannabis to begin with, such as:

"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step
on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice." (Hearst
newspapers nationwide, 1934)

".the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the
degenerate races" - Federal Bureau of Narcotics Director Harry J.
Anslinger, 1930

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity,
criminality and death."

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of
mankind."

(see US Government Propaganda To Outlaw Marijuana)

The problem with propaganda about marijuana produced brain injury is
that it has been disproved by current research. In fact, marijuana is
very helpful in reducing the cerebral damage done by strokes and brain
traumas.

If cannabis causes any loss of mental balance, it is only among drug
crusaders trying to impose fictions on their fellow man to serve their
own interests.