MUCH STRONGER CASE IS FOR MARIJUANA

I'd like to act as devil's advocate in response to Dr. Strang's
article, "Medical pot smokers seeking high" (June 20). First, there
are several reasons users choose to smoke marijuana rather than take Marinol:

1. Marinol contains only tetrahydocannabinol (THC), but there are
other active ingredients in marijuana as well, so for most users the
whole plant is more effective.

2. Marinol is taken orally, so it must pass through the digestive
system before taking effect. Smoking is an effective delivery system,
providing relief almost immediately. And, in the particular case of
someone suffering nausea following chemotherapy, asking them to try
to hold down a pill while vomiting seems a bit much.

3. Marinols cost several times as much as marijuana, if the marijuana
is purchased, or infinitely more than if it's homegrown. Chronic pain
sufferers often need pain medication for the rest of their lives, so
cost is definitely a concern.

It's true that smoking is a dirty dosage system, and yes, carbon
monoxide is produced. But millions of tobacco smokers have had no
problem accepting these same conditions for use. Have you seen and
compared the cause-of-death rates for tobacco and marijuana? Check
out this reference: Journal of the American Medical Association, Jan.
19, 2005, Vol. 293, No. 3, p. 298. For Year 2000, 435,000 deaths are
attributed to tobacco; none are specifically attributed to marijuana,
but some may have been lumped into the 17,000 attributed to all
illicit drug use. So, tobacco use is legal, but medical marijuana
isn't? The stench of hypocrisy is strong across our land.

Increased incidence of mental illness and psychological disorders
from marijuana use is a risk factor to be considered. Here are the
users' choices: live in severe pain for the rest of their lives, or
get enough relief so they can cope with life now and worry about the
possible consequences later.

I directly dispute that smoking is an inexact dosage system. Because
the effect is immediate, the user can quickly tell when the pain has
been assuaged, and that is the correct dose. I do agree that
marijuana doesn't cure anything, but not many pain relievers do,
since they weren't developed for that purpose.

Are users just looking for a high? I don't think so. They are looking
for pain relief.

Millions of people self-medicate with alcohol for social anxiety and
other reasons. Is alcohol effective? Apparently so. Is it safe? It's
dubious at best. Is it ever abused? You better believe it.

Given marijuana's superior safety record, why shouldn't medical
marijuana users be allowed to self-medicate, too?

For the record, I'm 72 years old. I've never used marijuana or any
other illegal drug and don't ever intend to. I am firmly opposed to
recreational use of illegal drugs and to the abuse of prescribed drugs.

John H. Terrell lives in Fallbrook.