Pubdate: Wed, 01 Jun 2005
Source: Day, The (CT)
Copyright: 2005 The Day Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.theday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/293
Author: Dan Kinkler
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n862/a10.html

MARIJUANA CAN BE A HELP TO THOSE IN PAIN

Letters To The Editor:

In response to "Medical marijuana can hurt more than heal," published
May 29, I support the legalization of medical marijuana. To date, no
study has been performed on the benefits of marijuana because of the
difficulty getting approval for a Schedule One substance study,
especially when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has a
history of approval biased toward finding detrimental effects of
Schedule One.

Every symptom or disease cited by advocates for medical marijuana
probably has an appropriately researched alternative. Unfortunately,
the DEA has an issue approving studies that show the "good side" of
any of the Schedule-One substances.

There are ways to control dosage, contamination and the harmful
effects on the lungs. Dosage can be controlled much like any other
plant extract: substance levels in the plant are closely monitored,
and plants are bred in order to control active substance
concentrations.

Making sure that contaminants are not present where plants are grown
can control contamination, which is easily done in an indoor
environment. Inhalation can be avoided altogether by dissolving the
active substance in fats, like butter, and eating food made with this
fat.

The association between marijuana and poor performance is a tenuous
one: the study simply showed the academic performance of a number of
individuals instead of correcting for socioeconomic factors. Many
people who use can lead full and productive lives.

The main reason that patients enter treatment for marijuana is not
voluntary; rather, it is court-ordered. Many adolescents entering into
treatment for marijuana "addiction" are nonhabitual users. The state's
stance on marijuana and punishment skews this statistic.

Dan Kinkler

East Lyme
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake