Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 Source: Providence Journal, The (RI) Copyright: 2006 The Providence Journal Company Contact: http://www.projo.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/352 Author: Robert Sharpe Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n015/a05.html Referenced: The Edward O. Hawkins Medical Marijuana Act http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Billtext/BillText05/SenateText05/S0710Aaa.pdf GRASS IS GREENER ON OTHER SIDE OF THE LAW Regarding your Jan. 5 editorial "R.I.'s marijuana law": 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 inspired homicidal rages proved 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 that 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 Washington The writer is a policy analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman