DISHEARTENING DEBATE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I spent Tuesday morning at the Capitol listening to the debate on the
medical marijuana bill. It saddened me to find that so many of the
representatives are so woefully behind times in their knowledge
concerning medical studies of cannabis.

One gentleman, who proclaimed himself a pharmacist, brought up
arguments that have been refuted for years, including claiming that
marijuana is an addictive drug. This gentleman, who didn't mention his
own personal struggles with both prescription drugs and alcohol, was
happy to pontificate on a subject he knows nothing about. He even
brought up the canard about cannabis being a gateway drug.

These representatives have staff members to do research for them on
topics they may not be familiar with. I wonder how many of them
requested anyone to do a simple Internet search to find out the
current information available on the subject. My guess is that they
never asked because they didn't want to know. I suspect the only
source they used is the DEA, which is forbidden by law from saying
anything positive about marijuana.

Another gentleman's main worry was, "What message are we sending to
our children?" I will answer that question for him. When legislators
turn their back on their own constituents, denying them a substance
available to ease pain and suffering by using arguments they know -- or
should know to be false -- our children lose all respect for them and
decide to find out for themselves about drugs labeled dangerous, which
leads to some dangerous experimentation.

It is unfortunate that so many sick and dying people are deprived of
one of the best medications known because of myths, willful ignorance
and deliberate lies.

Dennis M. Garland

Chatham