DON'T LET THE FACTS BOTHER YOU

I've just read Bob Niewoehner's letter ["Could the Senator Be
Misinformed?", July 6 ], and I take issue
with (Ms. Dole's?) claim that "government study after study shows all the
bad things that will happen to us should we ever be exposed to marijuana."
Politicians have been making that claim since before the release of "Reefer
Madness," but the truth is that "study after study" has proven no such thing.

If pressed for details on any of the government or medical studies that
have been run on marijuana (including the most recent one on the "newer,
more potent strains"), politicians will say the results are "inconclusive."
Apparently, "inconclusive" is political-speak for: "We didn't get the
results we were hoping for."

But, then again, skilled politicians have never been known to let the facts
stand in the way of their policy decisions.

- - Steven Olson

Asheville