BENIGN CANNABIS

I am distressed once again to read an article that compares the effects of
smoking cannabis to the effects of smoking tobacco, without exploring the
alternatives to smoking (New Scientist online news, 13 November). The brief
mention given to Corporate Pharma's smoking alternatives such as
under-the-tongue spray (very high-tech, very profitable) completely ignores
one alternative that is enjoying increasing popularity.

That is to deliver cannabis via a simple vaporiser. This completely
mitigates the harmful effects of carbon monoxide, tar and benzene, while
delivering the healthful benefits of THC and other cannabinoids.

Your article also fails to ask the obvious question of why cannabis is
typically held in the lungs longer than tobacco. I suspect that if
cigarettes cost $5 each and were illegal, nicotine addicts would turn
themselves blue in the face as their lungs gleaned every last molecule of
drug from the smoke.

PAUL WIEDLER
Felton, California, USA