CULTURE, NOT HEALTH, DETERMINES DRUG LAWS

RE: "Let states, doctors decide," May 11

Regarding Paul Armentano's op-ed, if health outcomes determined drug laws -
instead of cultural norms - marijuana would be legal.

Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death,
nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco.

Like any drug, marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are
inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents.

Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been
counterproductive at best. For example, white Americans did not even begin
to smoke pot until a soon-to-be-entrenched government bureaucracy began
funding "reefer madness" propaganda.

By raiding voter-approved medical marijuana providers in California, the
very same U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that claims illicit drug use
funds terrorism is forcing cancer and AIDS patients into the hands of
street dealers. Apparently marijuana prohibition is more important than
protecting the country from terrorism.

Robert Sharpe

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington