GEORGE WILL ON POT

As a conservative myself, I found George Will's editorial on Dec. 8
concerning medical marijuana to be confusing and misleading. This
surprises me, since Will is an intellectual conservative who usually
searches out the truth. Nothing about this article was truthful, but
it was filled with inuendos and presuppositions.

While commenting on Colorado's medical marijuana laws, he begins by
calling the dispensaries "fiction." He believes that "most really
just want to smoke pot" instead of using the weed to help alleviate
pain and different ailments. So, where are his accurate statistics
about "most." How does he come to that conclusion?

He quotes Colorado's attorney general, John Suthers, who is "trying
to save his state from institutionalizing such hypocrisy." Such a
lofty statement since Will, Suthers, and other politicians mock the
fact medical marijuana is used for "chronic pain." Mr. Will even
perpetuates the myth that there are drugs available to deal with
chemo nausea. While there are such drugs, their effectiveness is in
question in terms of nausea relief.

He even has the audacity to equate Nevada's prostitution industry of
taxation and regulation with medical marijuana. Mr. Will then tries
to equate marijuana usage with methamphetamine addiction. Where did
this intellectual come up with these supposed facts and scholarly
pronouncements?

All I know is my wife has been in chronic pain for more than three
years. The doctors have had her on Vicodin and Oxycontin. One
suggested a morphine pump be surgically implanted in her spine.
Another doctor wanted her to try Ketamine -- an LSD-type drug.

So, the medical community can promote these hard drugs but is
paralyzed to recommend medical marijuana which has decreased her
pain? And, George Will continues the fear-mongering.

Tommy Latham

Colorado Springs