GOVERNMENT FIGHTS MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I would like to respond to Terrence Farley's diatribe concerning
misinformation about cannabis. First let me say that his comments are right
out of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency textbook. Any lie that can be
repeated enough is a good lie. I'll point out a couple.

His assertion that 62 percent of the 5.6 million Americans abusing illegal
drugs are either dependent on or using cannabis is but one example of
painting drug use with the abuse brush. The vast majority of cannabis users
are not dependent on it but use it either for medicine or recreation with
no discernible harm to themselves or society.

Another is that more young people are receiving treatment for cannabis
dependency. Funny a cop would take that position, since his department
generates this statistic, because the majority of youth in treatment are
there because of coercion. They are given the choice of jail or treatment.
It is no mystery the vast majority choose treatment. It's the old
self-fulfilling prophecy syndrome.

As for the medical utility of cannabis, good old drug warrior Farley
singlehandedly refutes more than 5,000 years of cannabis medical history by
paraphrasing organizations whose main objection to medical cannabis is the
delivery system. Systems not allowed to be explored due to the war Farley
enjoys waging against American citizens.

Every federally commissioned study on cannabis has come to the same
conclusions: Cannabis is not a gateway drug, is not addictive, and the law
is doing more harm than the use of the plant, but the experienced officer
Farley obviously knows better and mankind has been duped all these
thousands of years.

BRUCE RIDEOUT

Madison, WI