Pubdate: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 Source: Texas Observer (TX) Copyright: 2000 The Texas Observer Contact: 307 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Website: http://www.texasobserver.org/ Author: Robert Sharpe Note: Robert Sharpe, is with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Reference: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n478/a04.html PICK THEIR POISON Great Column by Jim Hightower on America's insane drug policy! (Playground Prozac," April 14). There is a reason why our leaders see fit to seize hemp birdseed at the Canadian border while turning a blind eye to toddlers on psychoactive drugs. The goal of a drug free society that so many politicians claim to be working towards only applies to certain drugs. Specifically, natural drugs which cannot be patented by the pharmaceutical industry, one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington. New lifestyle drugs are routinely granted fast-track F.D.A. approval, while marijuana, which has been used medicinally and recreationally for thousands of years, allegedly requires further research studies. In the short time the blatantly recreational drug Viagra has been on the market, it has already killed more people than marijuana, a relatively harmless drug whose pharmacological qualities have never been shown to cause a death. Nationwide, cancer and AIDS patients are being locked up at taxpayers' expense for smoking medical marijuana, while toddlers are prescribed psychoactive drugs like Prozac and Ritilin. It is unfortunate for the millions of people who might benefit from medical marijuana that the plant is an easily grown weed instead of a highly profitable patent medicine. One need only follow the money trail to find out why a given policy exists. Robert Sharpe, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, George Washington University Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea