Pubdate: Tue, 22 Feb 2005
Source: Sun Herald (MS)
Copyright: 2005, The Sun Herald
Contact:  http://www.sunherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432
Author: Wayne L. Parker

DO STUDIES SUBSTANTIATE CLAIMS ABOUT MARIJUANA?

At a weekly philosophical discussion group that I attend a question was 
submitted that read, "If a majority of people routinely violate a law, 
should they all be imprisoned, or should the law be changed?"

This question occurred to me when my father, who is dying of cancer, 
informed me that many people have suggested to him that he use marijuana to 
relieve his discomfort and to stimulate his appetite.

Upon learning of the broad diversity of people who made the suggestion 
(you'd be surprised) I couldn't help but wonder why we're putting so many 
people in jail for using the substance.

With so many (and so many different) people advocating its use, can 
marijuana really be all that bad?

Sure, we hear public officials tell us that it's addictive and it's a 
"gateway drug" to heavier drug use, but have we ever asked these people to 
show us evidence to support such claims?

On the contrary, numerous reputable studies have been conducted (some by 
our own government as well as Great Britain's) over the past hundred years 
or so that have concluded that marijuana is not a dangerous drug.

Even the government's anti-marijuana commercials find it necessary to focus 
on the dangers of using marijuana while driving. If the drug itself is so 
dangerous, why don't they show ads that focus just on that?

To be sure, we've all heard of "someone" who became "addicted" to 
marijuana, but was it because the drug is addictive, or because certain 
individuals can't deal with their own lives and seek ways to "escape"?

A large segment of our populace believes marijuana is both addictive and a 
"gateway drug." These people should ask themselves if their beliefs are 
based on sound evidence, or simply what they've been told.

WAYNE L. PARKER, Perkinston
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