GIERHAN NEEDS TO STOP MISLEADING READERS

Regarding "Medical marijuana is a push to legalize" by Stan Gierhan: He
should go back to school because his sales pitch is sorely lacking.

It is clear that he, as a pharmacist, sees his job security being
threatened by legalized marijuana, medical or otherwise.

I have also noticed a "gatekeeper" mentality in pharmacists that is
surpassed only by the unbridled arrogance of doctors. Their argument
is basically "Natural plants are all dangerous, but our chemical-laced
pills are safe" and we have to get their permission to get well.

What balderdash!

First of all, Gierhan should already know that Marinol is a synthetic
- -- an artificial mimic of THC -- that contains none of the real
substance found in cannabis, because the real stuff is illegal
everywhere. Only Sativex from GW Pharmaceuticals (oral spray for MS)
contains actual cannabis.

Second, Marinol has been widely criticized by users as being "too
little too late, or too much too soon." Just look at the list of side
effects for both pot and Marinol, and see which is safer. Marinol
could kill you if you take too much, but it is impossible to overdose
on marijuana (Believe me! I have tried!). Also, smoking or vaporizing
cannabis can makes it easier for the user to tolerate doses.

Gierhan continues; "This push to legalize medical pot is just another
push to legalize pot period." This may or may not be true, but the
medical use of cannabis notwithstanding, marijuana prohibition has
caused and is causing more damage to users and to society than
legalized marijuana ever could.

That isn't an opinion, it is a scientifically and historically proven
fact.

If Gierhan would look at some history (prior to the Ron and Nancy
Reagan era) he would find that cannabis medicines were among the most
prescribed drugs in North America's pharmacopeia before their
prohibition in the 1930s.

If Gierhan is so concerned about public safety and health, he should
stop shilling for his pharmaceutical bosses, and start lobbying for
the end of marijuana prohibition.

Russell Barth, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Barth is a Canadian federal medical marijuana license holder.