TERM 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA' SEEMS TO BE AN OXYMORON

A recent front-page article described the dilemma of a man in
Washington who lost custody of his children because of his reliance
on "medical marijuana."

The editorial the same day opined regarding the problem of increased
tobacco smoking among teenagers.

The groundwork was done years ago on the latter situation, so those
with a desire to do something about it can pretty much cut to the
chase without having to engage in pointless quibbling and far-fetched
rationalizations launched in defense of the activity.

The whole idea of "medical marijuana," however, an oxymoron worthy of
Guinness' attention, is a whole new game.

The piecemeal acceptance by those who don't know any better and those
who do fails to make a bad idea a good one; an old story of many guises.

There is no argument that the public understanding of marijuana has
been contorted by decades of misinformation and emotional overkill by
both sides of the issue, and that it is time to reassess it
intelligently so that a rational regulatory approach can be
constructed.

There is no argument that medical research has isolated some useful
properties in the cannabis family, and derivative preparations have
been on the market for some time. But to endorse smoking a
historically recreational mood-altering substance as "medicine" has
to be one of the most idiotic instances of cerebral borborygmus
various legislatures have coughed up in ages.

Instead of having to face the reality that they are making choices
between their drug of choice and things they value, such as family,
people like the man in Washington are being handed a misguided and
enabling excuse to wear the mantle of victimhood and to paint anyone
who interferes with their right to a buzz, including families and
employers, as the bad guys.

Jeff Marsh

Shawmut