Pubdate: Fri, 17 Aug 2001
Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)
Copyright: 2001 Las Vegas Sun, Inc
Contact:  http://www.lasvegassun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/234
Author: ROBERT SHARPE
Note: The writer is program officer for the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy 
Foundation, a drug policy research institute that supports marijuana for 
medical uses.

TRUTH IS OUT ON MARIJUANA MYTHS

Regarding the Sun's Aug. 13 editorial on Nevada's medical marijuana law, 
Congress needs to show leadership on the issue, which 70 percent of 
Americans support.

The reefer-madness myths have long been discredited, forcing the drug war 
gravy train to spend millions of tax dollars on politicized research, 
trying to find harm in a relatively harmless plant. Meanwhile, research 
that might demonstrate the medical efficacy of marijuana is consistently 
blocked.

The direct experience of millions of Americans contradicts the 
sensationalistic myths used to justify marijuana prohibition. Illegal drug 
use is the only public health issue wherein key stakeholders are not only 
ignored, but actively persecuted and incarcerated.

In terms of the recent Supreme Court ruling mentioned in the Aug. 13 
editorial, those stakeholders happen to be cancer and AIDS patients.

ROBERT SHARPE Washington, D.C. Editor's note: The writer is program officer 
for the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation, a drug policy research 
institute that supports marijuana for medical uses.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom