Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2005
Source: Tewksbury Advocate (MA)
Copyright: 2005 Community Newspaper Company
Contact:  http://www2.townonline.com/tewksbury
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3797
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1484/a03.html

POT REFORM NEEDED

Regarding Steven Epstein's thoughtful op-ed (Sept. 15), if health 
outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms marijuana 
would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to 
cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties 
of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are 
inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. 
The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican 
migration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the 
American Medical Association.

Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been 
counterproductive at best. White Americans did not even begin to 
smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched government bureaucracy began 
funding reefer madness propaganda. By raiding voter-approved medical 
marijuana providers in California, the very same Bush Administration 
that claims illicit drug use funds terrorism is forcing cancer and 
AIDS patients into the hands of street dealers.

Apparently marijuana prohibition is more important than protecting 
the country from terrorism.

The following Virginia Law Review article offers a good overview of 
the cultural roots of marijuana legislation: 
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/vlr/vlrtoc.htm

Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

www.csdp.org

Washington, DC 
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman