POT WORSE THAN DYING IN A CAGE?

Editor:

Re: Mark Lewis' column of Jan 27. The discussion of marijuana - most
notably its medicinal potential - likely evoked a range of responses to
your newspaper. Many will tout the effectiveness of marijuana as medicine
and their preference in using it as opposed to heavy duty and addictive
narcotics. Other readers will dispute these claims and cite perceived
dangers of marijuana use. When the smoke clears (pun intended), here's the
only essential question requiring scrutiny:

Which is worse for your health - A: Smoking marijuana for medical relief,
or B: Being arrested and jailed for smoking marijuana for medical relief?

Backers of legislation which would allow for legal access to marijuana when
recommended by a licensed physician believe the answer is "B." Detractors
who insist the laws remain as they are currently, clearly believe "A."

As for those who suggest that such legal reforms would "lead us down the
slippery slope to full legalization of marijuana" (or other such wording);
they imply that such support must currently exist within the minds of
lawmakers or otherwise they could not rationally make such a claim.

If that is so, then perhaps your lawmakers are more in step with public
opinion than formerly believed.

However if that is not so, then clearly such claims are little more than
rhetoric designed to inflame the public and distract from the very real
fact that opponents to medical marijuana laws believe a jail cage is better
for a cancer patient than smoking marijuana.

STEPHEN HEATH

Drug Policy Forum of Texas

Formerly of North Texas

Clearwater, Fla.