MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROHIBITION DOESN'T MAKE SENSE

Alcohol kills more people each year than all illegal drugs combined.
Prescription overdose deaths are now second only to motor-vehicle
crashes as a cause of death from unintentional injury. Television is
filled with sophisticated pro-drug messages paid for by alcohol and
pharmaceutical companies.

The Bush administration doesn't have a problem with corporate drug
pushers, but hoist a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner at an off-campus high
school rally in Alaska, and they will fight you all the way to the
Supreme Court.

It is not clear how this nonsensical phrase somehow merits limiting
free speech. Culture warriors in the White House seem to think the war
on pot is more important than the Constitution. Unfortunately, it
doesn't stop there. By raiding voter-approved medical marijuana
providers in Oregon, the very same Bush administration that claims
illicit drug use funds terrorism is forcing cancer and AIDS patients
into the hands of street dealers.

Apparently marijuana prohibition is more important than protecting the
country from terrorism too.

Robert Sharpe, Policy Analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy,
Arlington, Va.