Pubdate: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA) Copyright: 2011 The Union Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/ Website: http://www.theunion.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957 Author: Karen Stone MARIJUANA: MEDICAL, OR NOT? Can we please address this issue honestly? What is the difference at this point whether the desire for pot is medical or emotional? Some people use marijuana to control medical symptoms, and some to get high, relax and enhance. Marijuana has many emotional as well as medical gifts. Alcohol, however, does not, but it is legal to use it for the sole purpose of altering consciousness. Why then do we not legalize pot so that people have a choice of intoxicants? Alcohol is a very dangerous drug, and has been the cause of millions of deaths. Marijuana is not dangerous, and I have never heard of a death caused by using it for any reason. One of the biggest challenges to pot smokers is to get motivated to move off the couch, so violence is not a big issue. Legalizing marijuana as a recreational drug, as well as using it medicinally, seems to me a wise and practical solution. Pot smokers are not going to stop using it, so why do we continue to chase our tails? Seems asinine to me ... and economically, DUH! Karen Stone Nevada City - --- MAP posted-by: Matt