VISIT WEB SITE FOR FACTS ON MARIJUANA

Normally, you would think a public health nurse would use solid data,
verifiable facts and experience when commenting on a health issue. But
instead, Darlene Hanke, Fond du Lac County public health nurse, managed to
repeat every cannabis myth and lie used by our federal government drug
warriors in her July 26 Backtalk ("Marijuana is indeed a big deal") in The
Reporter.

Ms. Hanke sets out to settle this issue by repeating statements that have
long ago been refuted. So here we have a public employee charged with
responding to local health issues by regurgitating the false rhetoric she
has been provided. So anyone in Fond du Lac County who comes looking for
honest, factual information about drug use gets instead a shrill,
lie-filled expose on propaganda. Shame on Darlene Hanke.

I was one of those she quotes from that wonderful and powerful three-part
series on marijuana by Lee Reinsch of The Reporter staff. And I can verify
with facts everything mentioned in this series.

However, Ms. Hanke cannot name even one source for her diatribe. To name
just a few of the myths that she has hoisted up on you sensible folks:
marijuana is a gateway drug/ the IOM report of 1999 clearly refuted that
myth; amotivational syndrome/ not one shred of evidence to support a
politically motivated statement; marijuana causes brain damage/ here is one
of the most horrendous lies ever foisted on Americans.

The study from which this claim emanates was soundly refuted, and the
scientist who conducted that study has long since recanted his claim and
confessed to his false conclusion. Yet here we have a public employee
repeating statements that are flat out false. Once again, shame on you,
Darlene Hanke.

I could go on and on, but I think you see the real Ms. Hanke by now. If you
are really interested in finding out the facts on cannabis, I suggest you
visit the many Web sites dedicated to honest, open discussion of the facts.
Several are www.drugsense.org and www.drugpolicy.org

- - Bruce Rideout

Madison