Pubdate: Fri, 25 Feb 2000
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2000 The Washington Post Company
Address: 1150 15th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20071
Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Page: A22
Note: Title supplied by Newshawk

WHAT GATEWAY?

Fern Shen [Metro, Feb. 22] did a fair job of citing the Institute of
Medicine (IOM) report on marijuana, but she erred in allowing Maryland Del.
Thomas E. Dewberry to use the alleged "gateway effect" as reason to oppose
its use. The IOM report stated that there is no gateway. If there were,
then alcohol and tobacco would be the true gateways, as most who use
marijuana, cocaine or heroin had taken those drugs first.

CHRISTOPHER A. JOSEPH

Parma, Ohio
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