Pubdate: Fri,  2 May 2003
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2003 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www2.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Author: Lionel De Leon

THE EVIDENCE OF DANGERS OF MARIJUANA IS SLIM

I hear a lot about the evils of marijuana, yet I've yet to see anyone die 
from a marijuana overdose or become schizophrenic as a result of smoking 
pot ["Medical marijuana: two views," Letters to the editor, April 30]. 
There are cancer-causing agents in everything. Those who smoke pot do not 
smoke 40-plus cigarettes a day like chronically addicted cigarette smokers. 
Those who smoke pot do not die like binge drinkers who are killed from 
alcohol poisoning.

It is the dying who swear by the benefits of smoking pot to alleviate loss 
of appetite and pain. It is the federal government that refuses to do 
comprehensive testing of the effects of marijuana yet insists on 
classifying it with dangerous drugs.

It's time we faced the facts and not the hyperbole and hysteria over the 
"evil weed." I hear about cocaine, alcohol, heroin, barbiturate, 
amphetamine and ecstasy deaths, but never pot. Could it be we have Chicken 
Littles who think the sky is falling?

Lionel De Leon

Garden Grove
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