Pubdate: Thu, 14 Apr 2016 Source: Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN) Copyright: 2016 Stan White Contact: http://www.tennessean.com/SITES/OPINION/submit-editor.shtml Website: http://www.tennessean.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n215/a02.html?3963 Author: Stan White CANNABIS PROHIBITION IS A FARCE If "reason and honesty" were part of the public discourse regarding cannabis (marijuana) prohibition (Letter: "Marijuana misinformation," by Bob Alley, April 3, 2016), it would never have been orchestrated from the beginning. Historically, its existence is due to racism, greed and the omission of science. It's truly mistaken to claim, "Medical science has access to drugs that provide more relief with less damage than does pot," since cannabis often competes with opiates, which are responsible for an epidemic of addiction and death rates in America. Scientifically, cannabis is safer than aspirin and less addictive than coffee. And speaking of Harvard: World famous Dr. Lester Grinspoon, associate professor emeritus of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School, has spent decades exposing lies, half-truths and propaganda with science, proving cannabis prohibition is a farce. Jailing sick people who use a relatively safe, beneficial plant is vulgar, anti-Christian and just plain wrong. Stan White, Dillon, Colo. 80435 - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D