In a Nov. 12 letter to the editor, the writer asserts that the teams of military and intelligence personnel should make easy work of the drug scourge that affects the world. He further claims this industry kills more people each day than the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, and implies the war against the drug trade is ineffective because we haven't tried hard enough. Sadly, the writer shows a complete lack of understanding of the most basic facts about illicit drug use and drug policy. [continues 177 words]
Polls taken during the election campaign clearly showed that voters did not approve of unregulated marijuana use. Listing organizations that have failed to endorse medical marijuana does not make a convincing point as those bodies hardly speak for every member, let alone every physician. In addition, several have noted that cannabis shows promise as medicine and favor more studies. Research on immune system suppression is inconclusive and becomes inconsequential when human patients are studied under clinical conditions. In fact, all of the immense dangers pointed out by Evans are so far removed from the context of the original studies that his evidence crumbles when real- world conditions are observed. No drug use, medical or recreational is without harm. These harms must be examined in proper context as when one weighs the question: Do we really need to imprison doctors and patients to send the right message to children? John M. Koons, Sayreville [end]
In stating long-term residential treatment facilities were needed for addiction, she also condemned methadone programs as "fast, ineffective, temporary solutions to a tremendous drug problem". Miskolczi introduced these remarks with credentials to give merit to her statements (having a master's degree in social work). The people who have contacted me also were knowledgeable in drug treatment - doctors and other professionals - some of whom were program directors. Despite their diversified backgrounds, all rejected most of the content of this letter and substantiated their dissents with research and empirical findings. Most also pointed out that methadone programs were unparalleled in their efficacy in reducing drug use, death, crime, and disease among heroin users, and that their biggest problem was politicization leading to over- regulation from misinformation. If there is any "real help" needed on this issue, it is in the area of examining accomplished research without political and moral prejudices. John M. Koons Sayreville [end]
