DOCTORS MUST MAKE CALL ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Terrence Farley is a law enforcement official whose paycheck might shrink
if the drug war was called off and almost every "fact" here cites as
evidence of the harmfulness of marijuana has been either discredited by
scientific evidence or, even worse, has no basis in fact. Farley's letter
begins by restating many of the ridiculous claims about marijuana use
contained in a letter dated Nov. 1 from the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy to the nation's district attorneys.

That letter and a point-by-point refutation with citations to scientific
studies is available on the Web site of the National Organization for
Reform of Marijuana Laws at www.norml.org and I refer readers who want to
know the truth about marijuana to that Web site rather than burden them
with a rehash here of all the falsehoods contained therein.

If you are unsure who to believe given the conflicting statements of
advocates on both sides of the marijuana issue, you might want to ask
yourself why does the drug czar refuse to debate the drug-reform movement
concerning his claims?

But the most ironic thing about Farley's exhortation that the medical
marijuana movement is a hoax is his claim that medical marijuana is
unneeded because of the availability of Marinol, the pharmaceutical
company's brand of tetrahydrocannabinnol or THC, the substance many
consider the "active ingredient" in marijuana.

First, there has been little study of marijuana smoke as medicine and it is
a convenient assumption that THC is the only "active ingredient" that gives
relief to its users.

An enormous amount of anecdotal evidence suggests other substances in
marijuana smoke may be providing users with relief, but the government is
afraid to fund this research because it might reveal facts that run
contrary to its policy goals.

Second, many Marinol users complain it leaves them lethargic because the
dosage is too strong and is not easily regulated, as a user can do through
smoking.

While marijuana smoke does contain harmful tars in higher concentrations
than tobacco, stronger strains of marijuana allow users to smoke much less
than a typical cigarette smoker, so much so that the dangers posed by tars
are minimal in actual practice. Why is law enforcement asking users to use
higher concentrations of THC when every doctor knows that you should use as
little as necessary of any drug?

The whole problem with the war on drugs is that we allowed law enforcement
to make the medical decisions rather than our family physicians. That
marijuana was a useful home remedy for centuries before 1937, when the
federal government outlawed it, should guide our future marijuana policy.

It is time for law enforcement to step back and allow medical doctors to
make the call.

THOMAS J. HILLGARDNER Jamaica, N.Y.