LEGALIZE, REGULATE POT

Proposition 215 in 1996 was the camel's nose under the tent for
legalization of marijuana, but the majority of those voters who
supported this initiative did not think about how it would be implemented.

I suspect that they felt the compassionate use of marijuana was
limited to a small number of seriously ill patients, as opposed to
the explosion of "patients" who are coming out of the woodwork and
requesting "medicine" for minor or fabricated problems.

They were also unaware of the vast sums of money that can be made as
a result of growing and dispensing medical marijuana in the present
relatively unregulated and minimally taxed environment.

Individuals requesting approval to use marijuana can locate a
sympathetic physician who is in the business of providing a letter,
which allows the "patient" to obtain marijuana from a medical
marijuana dispensary.

The result is the vast majority of patients who visit a dispensary
are utilizing marijuana for social or recreational needs as opposed
to a medical indication.

Cannabis has proven a benefit in certain chronic pain conditions, but
this condition exists in only a small number of medical marijuana clients.

The camel is now in the tent and the only way to remove him is to
legalize marijuana and eliminate the charade of feigned illness and
physicians having a sideline of providing medical letters to
individuals who merely want to use marijuana without the fear of arrest.

Prohibition did not work well with alcohol and it is certainly not
working for marijuana.

Like alcohol, marijuana has significant risk, especially if used by
teenagers and can result in delayed social and cognitive development.

It should not be used on a daily basis or to excess, but it should be
legalized and regulated.

Robert Bundy, MD, Corte Madera