DANGERS OF MARIJUANA

To the Editor:

Re "Reefer Madness," by Bill Keller (column, Nov. 30):

Research on traffic fatalities shows that in accidents not involving
alcohol, marijuana is the most likely drug to be involved, at least
three times more likely than cocaine.

As an addiction psychiatrist, I see many daily pot smokers, who
usually come with relationship problems, including domestic violence.
When my cannabis-dependent patients get treatment and quit smoking
pot, their relationships improve and the domestic violence stops.
Marijuana does not cause violence or impaired driving in occasional
users who take reasonable precautions, but it does in people who are
addicted.

Yes, the government's stance against its medical use is ridiculous.
But otherwise marijuana is a drug with no social benefit, and many of
the people in favor of decriminalization are regular pot smokers who I
think would benefit more from drug treatment than increased access.

Alcohol addiction already causes huge social problems. Adding legal or
decriminalized marijuana to the mix would only make these problems
worse.

EDWARD GOGEK, M.D., Prescott, Ariz., Nov. 30, 2002