MEDICAL MARIJUANA DELIVERS MORE THAN PAIN KILLERS

The argument for legalizing marijuana over the past few years has been that
it gives comfort to those with AIDS and cancer.

Who would deny relief to people with such horrible diseases?

In several states it has seemed like a good idea to the voting public and
"medical marijuana" was legalized.

Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Jim Haluska believes it is a very bad
idea, and that there's more to this "medical marijuana" campaign than
giving comfort to the dying.

He is particularly concerned this year because there is a "medical
marijuana" issue on the Detroit ballot.

"Supporters of "medical marijuana" are running a sophisticated, slick, poll
tested PR campaign," he told the Troy Kiwanis Club. The problem is that if
you repeat a lie enough, people start to believe it must be true."

Haluska, a Troy resident points out that three backers of the campaign to
legalize marijuana have spent millions of dollars on this issue. They've
won 16 of 17 campaigns they launched in the last four years, failing only
in Michigan in 2002- perhaps because of Halushka's personal efforts to
defeat it.

One of the ways the supporters of legalizing marijuana get on the ballot is
to bring outsiders into the state and pay them to stand outside libraries,
courthouses and grocery stores and spread the story that marijuana is just
a way to help the sick to enjoy their last days.

"Compassion sells," Halushka observes. And while this group is very quiet
until two to three weeks before the election, at the end, they spend
millions on commercials filled with lies. The trio spent over $3 million in
California on Prop.36.

Halushka hopes the tide is turning. For example, their website hasn't been
updated since 2000. The issue was taken off the ballot in Michigan and Florida.

"Facts speak louder than money." He noted that opponents are finally
getting their act together to counter the fight to legalize drugs.

Halushka said he had no problem giving people with serious medical
conditions the drugs found in marijuana, but it should be done by a medical
professional.

"We've never before made medical decisions at the ballot box," Halushka
continues. "This is a decision that needs to be made by medical
professionals... If the FDA says it's safe and effective, then smoking
marijuana can be offered."

Of course, the problem is that marijuana isn't "safe" Halushka says. In
fact, marijuana contains over 400 carcinogens and five times the tar and
carbon monoxide of a regular cigarette. AIDS patients on marijuana in
states where it has been legalized have had a huge increase in cases of
deadly pneumonia.

Yes, there are benefits to THC, but it has been availible in pill form
since 1975, so there is no real need to smoke marijuana.

To help end the drive to legalize marijuana in Michigan, Halushka, who will
be president of the Troy Community Coalition next year, says he is pushing
for Lansing to say that anyone circulating a ballot question in Michigan
must be a registered voter in Michigan. He thinks that will kill the
campaign to legalize marijuana in our state.