TIME TO WEED OUT MTYHS AND MISINFORMATION

As the mother of a young man whose mental health has been severely damaged
by smoking too much cannabis, it was good to have some facts (Comment, last
week) I watch a talented young man who has smoked pot for some years,
struggle to remember names, the days of the week and to distinguish between
his private world and that of those around him. He has had to suspend his
university studies. He believes that taking olanzapine, a new drug which
has helped him considerably, will reduce his creativity. Taking pot on the
other hand, he thinks, will improve it. Aldous Huxley and Timothy Leary
have a lot to answer to.

Rev Sue Nightingale
Sheriff Hutton Yorks

Professor Greenfield is right to seriously question health effects of
cannabis use. However, her argument against the drug's gradual
decriminalisation is far from convincing. Prohibition of drugs in general
has made drug production and supply into one of the largest trades in the
world, the profits of which are almost wholly enjoyed by criminal gangs.
The socio-economic effect of prohibition are well documented. It is not for
one citizen to make moral judgment about other people's lifestyles which do
not cause them any harm (unless you include passive smoking in the
equation). Rather, society can leave recreational activities to their wont
and, for addicts, provide the appropriate counselling and medical
treatment, just as with any other sickness.

Alexander Kasterine PhD
Brussels

Susan Greenfield is confused if she thinks the principal argument for
cannabis law reform is that the plant is relatively harmless.
Decriminalisation acknowledges the social reality of cannabis use and frees
users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What is really
need is a regulated market with age controls. Separating the hard and soft
drug markets is critical. Given that cannabis is arguably safer than legal
alcohol - the plant has never been shown to cause an overdose death - it
makes no sense to waste tax revenue on failed policies that finance
organised crime and facilitate the use of hard drugs.

Robert Sharpe
Programme officer Drug Policy Alliance
Washington DC

Anyone sensible should take seriously Professor Greenfield's warnings about
cannabis. After 30 years working as a psychiatrist I am convinced that
cannabis is a most dangerous illegal drug and it is impossible to predict
who will experience one or more of its psychopathological effects or when,
namely depression, loss of motivation to get on with life, psychosis and
aggressiveness. The young, at least at the back of their minds, must be
aware of the dangers as one of the names they have given to cannabis is 'shit'.

Dr Andrew Wilski
Consultant psychiatrist Pembury Hospital
Tunbridge Wells
Kent

For Susan Greenfield to state that marijuana usage alters the connections
between neurons is a little ingenious. As a neuroscientist Dr Greenfield
is, I'm sure, aware that just about anything can effect these connections.
and is she suggesting since marijuana cause laziness, it should therefore
be illegal? Is being lazy a crime now? I'm sure we agree that research in
this area is sadly lacking.

Dr Daniel O'Toole
Dept of Pharmacology, UCD Dublin