Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Sacramento Bee
Contact:  P.O.Box 15779, Sacramento CA 95852
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Authors: Harvey L. Rose M.D., Joey Silvera, Bob McGee, Peter Keyes

PAINFUL WAR ON DRUGS

Re "Former police chief battles with 'war on drugs,' " Daniel 
Weintraub, Dec. 26 and "Patients: A right to feel less pain," Dec. 
26: These articles are related. The "war on drugs" created an 
atmosphere against opioid narcotics use, resulting in a war on 
doctors and patients. Those medications are the most effective in the 
relief of the most severe kinds of pain, both acute and chronic, 
cancer and noncancer. Physicians fear prosecution if they use what an 
agent from a regulatory agency may perceive as an excessive amount of 
those medications. The scarlet letter of arrest, more than fear of 
addiction, results in the underprescribing that is causing 
unnecessary pain and suffering.

The Oregon State Medical Board was the first in the nation to 
sanction a physician for underprescribing to his patients. I hope 
such action will not be necessary in California to persuade 
physicians to pay attention to proper pain management.
  --Harvey L. Rose M.D., Carmichael

'MISUNDERSTOOD MEDICINE' Re "Good, bad news on drugs," Jan. 5: When 
disgraced former drug czar Barry McCaffrey refers to Ecstasy, he is 
presumably using the slang term for the often misunderstood medicine 
MDMA. "Designer drugs" is a term coined in the 1980s to describe 
drugs whose molecules were altered slightly to avoid controlled 
substance law violations. MDMA, first isolated in 1914, hardly meets 
that criterion. On Feb. 2, the Lindesmith Center is hosting a one-day 
seminar on the current state of MDMA. Information is available at 
www.lindesmith.org
- --Joey Silvera, El Dorado Hills

ADDICTS AND ADDICTION Re "Ex-FDA chief wants tobacco industry 
dismantled," Jan. 7: Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler (now 
dean of Yale University School of Medicine) has just put out a book, 
"A Question of Intent." In it he has written that, "Considering the 
number of addicted smokers, nicotine has to remain available." I have 
long wondered why some products in our society were prohibited while 
nicotine, the most addictive, was not. I am grateful to the doctor 
for explaining it so understandably. The other products simply do not 
have enough addicts.
- --Bob McGee, Placerville

THE HEMP INDUSTRY Re "Hot Lips" letter, Jan. 4. Many people seem to 
be confused about the difference between hemp and marijuana. Hemp, 
due to its extremely low level of THC, will not and cannot get you 
high. One would have to smoke a joint the size of a telephone pole to 
get a buzz from hemp. Marijuana, on the other hand, is abundant with 
medicinal value and most certainly will get you high. But the DEA is 
actively trying to ban hemp products, effectively wiping out an 
entirely legal U.S. industry.
- --Peter Keyes, Sacramento
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