Pubdate: Sat, 30 Nov 2013
Source: Concord Monitor (NH)
Copyright: 2013 Monitor Publishing Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/WbpFSdHB
Website: http://www.concordmonitor.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/767
Author: Shawn Mccormick

ON MARIJUANA, TIME FOR COMMON SENSE

Re "A serious risk to public health" (Monitor Forum, Nov. 20):

Tricia Lucas argues that marijuana causes addiction. Sorry, but there 
is no such thing as marijuana addiction, unlike alcohol, tobacco or 
an opiate such as morphine or heroin. Addiction is characterized by a 
physical dependence, complete with a set of symptoms that accompany 
withdrawal. Marijuana can produce a psychological dependence, not addiction.

One interesting fact is that opiate withdrawal, in and of itself, 
won't cause death. High-dose alcoholic withdrawal, on the other hand, 
has a very good chance of killing the person going through it without 
medical intervention, as seizures and other very lethal reactions can 
occur. I'm glad that stuff is legal, huh?

Lucas also asserts that high THC content causes panic attacks. About 
the only panic attack you'll ever experience with marijuana is when 
you just finish sharing a joint with friends in the park and the cops 
walk up to chat! The flawed study she may have seen failed to point 
out that the miniscule number of panic attack sufferers were already 
prone, with psych histories.

Rep. Steve Vaillancourt's well written column, "It's time to legalize 
marijuana" (Monitor Forum, Nov. 20) very much echoes my own feelings 
on the subject. I have been advocating marijuana legalization for 30 
years. By the way, I'm a pharmacist. It's about time for some common 
sense to prevail.

SHAWN McCORMICK

Pittsfield
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