DON'T LET THE MARIJUANA MYTH LIVE ON

Letter writer Paul Armentano ("Pot vs. alcohol: What the experts
say," June 26) is still spreading his misguided and dangerous myth
that marijuana is a safe drug, and he cites two stand-up comedians to
prove his point, both experts: President Nixon and Art Linkletter.

Sir, when I challenged you in person, about one year ago during your
presentation in the coffee shop at the ferry building, you either
would not or could not answer one simple question. I asked you if it
was not true that research studies had confirmed that marijuana was a
"gateway" drug, which in most cases resulted in the use of more toxic
drugs, often in combination. You replied by saying something to the
effect that marijuana was so easy to get, you could go outside and
buy some in 15 minutes. True, I am not an expert, but your reply was
too innocuous, way over my head. You then called on another guest,
and I walked out.

What is so dangerous about your rhetoric is that many young people
might actually believe you, and this would be tragic. Your expertise
on this matter is skewed beyond belief. Are you aware of the
methodology used in the testing procedures of the Australian study in
2007? Do you know whether or not the tests were concluded based on
the primary drug involved, or were they thorough in trace toxins as
well? And, when you cite research studies that are 21 years obsolete
in one case and 12 years obsolete in another, you have impeached your
own credibility. Also, did the French study fail to mention the
second of three "distinct categories," or did you selectively choose
not to use it?

But the most egregious of those studies you cited is the World Health
Organization. These are the very same people who have been
recommending we eradicate, exterminate, 25 percent of our current
world population to prevent a world hunger disaster in the not too
distant future. And they are still trying to find a way to do it.
Even this analysis was 15 years obsolete.

In your rationale, you are saying that in the matter of "Russian
roulette," one bullet in the cylinder is marijuana and two is
alcohol. In reality, for many reasons I have no space to enumerate,
the facts of all current research prove beyond any doubt that
marijuana is the most pervasive and most dangerous drug in the world
today, that it is positively the gateway drug leading to severe
alcoholism and other drugs.

A recent American Medical Association report states that there are
more teens in treatment each year for marijuana dependence than for
alcohol and all other illegal drugs combined, and the trend is
increasing. Adolescent treatment admissions were 23 percent in 1992
and 64 percent in 2002. In 2002, a study showed t hat 55 percent of
all motorists stopped for reckless driving were under the influence
of alcohol and 45 percent of the 55 percent tested positive for marijuana.

Surely there is no pride in our young students smoking pot in the
locker rooms and bath rooms in our schools, walking down the railroad
tracks to their death in a state of lethargic stupefaction. It is
happening all too often.

Remember the Titanic? It was designed and built by hundreds of
"experts" -- and it sank with perfection.

With your expert status and credentials, you know better than most
that if marijuana were decriminalized, thousands more would get
wasted, more people would become dependent on alcohol, cocaine and
heroin, and crime would increase due to the more illicit drugs. And
this is exactly what the major drug cartels are hoping for, and pot
growers fear.