THE GOVERNMENT'S REEFER MADNESS

Re "Not enough marijuana," editorial, May 31

One only hopes that the Drug Enforcement Administration sees the
irony in Judge Mary Ellen Bittner's decision to allow for the private
production of cannabis for government-approved research. While
unfettered access to marijuana is only a phone call away for millions
of U.S. teens, it remains out of reach for qualified researchers who
wish to study its therapeutic utility in clinical trials. Chalk up
another victory for America's misguided pot policies. It is time for
the DEA and the White House to stop obstructing research into the
medicinal properties of cannabis. Let medical science, not political
rhetoric, be the final arbiter in this issue.

PAUL ARMENTANO

Washington

The writer is senior policy analyst for the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws.