Pubdate: 13 June 1999 
Source: Florida Times-Union (FL)
Copyright: The Florida Times-Union 1999
Contact:  http://www.times-union.com/
Author: Daniel E. Makley
Related: The original op-ed can be read at
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n629.a12.html

TIME FOR DECRIMINALIZATION

A recent letter from James R. McDonough, director for the Office of
Drug Control for Florida, challenged virtually all of the evidence
supporting the medical benefits of marijuana.

He then went on to lecture us to wait for medical science to ''root
out'' the true medical benefits. Unlike the expensive synthetic
marinol, the benefits of this simple plant can be delivered in about
any way imaginable (eaten, inhaled, smoked, etc.). This is not the
issue.

Drug warriors like McDonough and his current boss, Gov. Jeb Bush, have
been amazingly successful in prohibiting any scientific research in
the past.

And, no doubt, they will continue to ignore any evidence that fails to
back up their politically correct, but sadly ignorant, stance.

Taxpayers paid for an extensive study commissioned by President Nixon
in the '70s that recommended decriminalization of marijuana. The
results were not what Nixon expected, so he ignored them. I hope that
is not the road we're on now.

DANIEL E. MAKLEY

Fernandina Beach

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