DON'T UNDERESTIMATE MARIJUANA DANGERS

I am writing in response to the recent commentary, "Drug war is a war
against the truth," by Paul Campos, professor of law at the University of
Colorado. It appears that the professor's view of marijuana has not
wavered since his comments in an article that appeared in the
Feb. 11, 2001, edition of The Herald.

The purpose of writing is not to discuss the legalization of illegal
drugs or levels of potency, but rather to question the professor's
rationalizations. The professor states that "tens of thousands of
Americans are in prison today because we treat a drug (marijuana) that
has never killed anyone as if it were far more dangerous than a drug
(alcohol) that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year." I am
certainly not going to dispute the professor's point that excessive
use of alcohol can lead to death. But what information is he using to
support his claim that marijuana has never killed anyone?

Researchers at the St. Louis University School of Medicine say large
doses of marijuana may be related to stroke deaths among teenagers
(April 26, 2004). Recently researchers studied three teenage boys, two
of whom died from strokes shortly after smoking marijuana. All three
had similar types of strokes centered in the cerebellum that could not
be explained by blood clots traveling from the heart, blood-vessel
inflammation or other causes. Dr. Thomas Geller said the teenagers'
stroke deaths could be linked to marijuana binging or periodic use of
large amounts of marijuana. (All three had similar symptoms shortly
after their marijuana use, including severe headache and problems
seeing and walking.)

More information on marijuana, "the burning truth":

. Marijuana is often used in combination with alcohol and other
drugs.

. For every 100 people who have tried marijuana, 28 of them try
cocaine.

. 40 percent of high school teens try marijuana before they
graduate.

. Marijuana can be physically and psychologically addictive.

. One joint damages the lungs as much as an entire pack of
cigarettes.

Effects include:

. Increased heart rate

. Decreased muscle coordination

. Memory loss and slower learning ability

. Lowered hormone levels and sperm count

. Delayed sexual development and can cause permanent
infertility

. Decreased motivation, energy, concentration

. Impaired driving ability

Marijuana is a concern for everyone, in the family, in school, and in
the work place. Let the truth be told Dr. Campos, drug abuse, whether
legal or illegal, whether more or less potent can kill.

Janet Martini,

Executive Director,

Keystone, Rock Hill