Pubdate: Tue, 03 Oct 2006
Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2006 Charleston Daily Mail
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1261/a06.html

MARIJUANA IS NOT AS BAD AS TOBACCO

Regarding Dave Peyton's Sept. 22 column, 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 U.S. Drug Enforcement 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.

Robert Sharpe

Arlington, Va.

Sharpe is a policy analyst for Common Sense Drug Policy.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman