Pubdate: Mon, 12 Jun 2000
Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Copyright: 2000 The Anchorage Daily News
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Author: Tim Hinterberger

HEMP COVERAGE MUST BE FAIR

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention helps perpetuate a
failed and costly U.S. government drug policy by including marijuana
use in its youth risk behavior survey ("Teen risks falling, but drug
use is up, study says," June 9).

Most of the CDC survey questions ask about genuinely risky behaviors,
such as "When you rode a bicycle during the past 12 months, how often
did you wear a helmet?" and "During the past 30 days, on how many days
did you carry a gun?" How unfortunate that a federal public heath
agency renowned for its objective, scientific stance on most issues
has bowed to the political winds by including the question "During
your life, how many times have you used marijuana?"

In 1995, based on 30 years of scientific research, editors of the
British medical journal Lancet concluded that "the smoking of
cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health." Marijuana use
does not cause physical dependence. Most marijuana users never use any
other illegal drug. There is no compelling evidence that marijuana use
contributes substantially to traffic accidents and fatalities.

In preparation for the November 7 vote on the initiative to legalize
hemp for people 18 years or older, the Daily News owes its readers
a more balanced coverage of this important issue. Alaskans, and
especially teens, would benefit from a public policy change to normalize
rather than dramatize cannabis use.

Tim Hinterberger
Anchorage
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