Pubdate: Tue, 07 Dec 2004
Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO)
Copyright: 2004 The Springfield News-Leader
Contact:  http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1129
Author: Frank Reynolds

MARIJUANA IS NOT A REAL MEDICINE

Re: "Medical marijuana should get OK" Dec. 1, Our View.

There is a reason that there is no pharmaceutical that does what the 
marijuana smoker gets. It is because the tetrahydrocabinol (THC) is only 
oil soluble and our body system operates on a water system. With all the 
experiments it has not been possible to produce a substance that can be 
dose related.

Why don't we face the facts that the relief that can be obtained from 
ingesting THC is medically available. This issue is not about a medical 
cure. The pot smokers want their pot.

Physically, the pot smoker who smokes three joints per day stands a greater 
risk to their lungs than the tobacco user smoking three packs a day. In 
order to get the effect desired the smoke from a joint is hotter and is 
inhaled deeper.

This is just a smoke screen for the legalization of marijuana. Just look 
where the pressure comes from. Is it the medical community? No it is those 
areas where they want to smoke pot.

To become legal it would have to go through the same research and testing 
as Vioxx, Celebrex and all that other prescription drugs do. The harmful 
side effects would be three pages of fine print. And we know how unreliable 
that is.

I have worked for over forty years with addicted people. I have never had 
one person that had kicked their habit that had anything positive to say of 
their marijuana experience physically, emotionally or psychologically.

Frank Reynolds

Springfield 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth