BY COMPARISON, MARIJUANA IS SAFE

Re: "The case for medical pot is unproven, but so what?" July 17.

While walking the tightrope of political correctness, Susan Riley has
unwittingly struck the very nerve of hippocratic hypocrisy in Western
society. On the one hand, we dither and wring our hands about a
natural substance that has been used medicinally (and otherwise) for
thousands of years. On the other, we license pharmaceutical drugs such
as Prozac, Paxil, and Effexor which are, on the comparative historical
scale, too new and unproven to be released on an unsuspecting public.

After barely a decade of use of the newer antidepressants, evidence is
growing that these drugs are addictive, often ineffective over the
long term, and even health destroying.

Meanwhile, in the Journal of the California Cannabis Research Medical
Group, O'Shaughnessy's, an overview of patients suffering from chronic
pain, migraine, glaucoma, depression, insomnia, cancer, etc. by 10
doctors and psychiatrists concludes that medicinal cannabis is
"extremely safe and effective for virtually all patients."

Cannabis is far safer than most of the medicines legally available
from your doctor right now. Compare the data. The science bears it
out.

Arthur Joyce,

Victoria.