Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jun 2009
Source: Times Union (Albany, NY)
Contact: http://www.timesunion.com/forms/emaileditor.asp
Copyright: 2009 Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation
Website: http://www.timesunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/452
Author: Larry Rapant

GIVE THIS HERB A FAIR CHANCE

It is as if the first fairy tale in the big book of whoppers is still 
being taken as gospel by all of our lawmakers, except the naughty 
fruit of the nasty tree of knowledge is now cannabis sativa. It has 
been called Devil Drug, Weed of Madness and Assassin of Youth, but it 
is an herb that is used in medicine for easing pain and inducing 
sleep, and for a soothing influence in nervous disorders.

The fact that it is continuously ignored in government-sponsored 
studies, such as those in the June 11 article, "Big tab to study 
'nonsense'," is a demonstration of how backward, cowardly and 
superstitious American legislators are.

What I am embarrassed about is living in a country that apparently 
still thinks the devil lies dormant in a particular species of 
leaves, despite overwhelming anecdotal evidence of their wholesome effects.

Larry Rapant

Voorheesville
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