War On Drugs' Threatened

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The government claims marijuana cannot be legal for medicinal purposes because it is too dangerous. Yet government statistics show alcohol and tobacco kill 500,000 Americans per year. Prescription drugs kill approximately 100,000 Americans every year. But the government cannot cite a single human death caused by a marijuana-induced health problem.

The government claims there is no scientific evidence showing that marijuana is an effective medicine. There are dozens of scientific studies that show otherwise. The government claims that marijuana cannot be legal unless scientific evidence proves it to be safe -- a criteria that red meat, dairy products and junk foods can't meet. But the government had no problem making marijuana illegal in 1938 with support of outrageous claims of "reefer madness," claims that have been proven false.

The government cannot afford the legalization of medical marijuana because doing so will threaten their "War on Drugs" pork barrel, most of which is spent on enforcing marijuana prohibition. When medical marijuana use becomes common, thousands of doctors will be able to closely monitor the effects on their patients which will lead to in-depth knowledge about marijuana.

Tom Bouril, Madison

Pubdate: Sat, 11 Jun 2005
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2005 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact: wsjopine@madison.com
Website: http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/