SCIENCE, PRACTICE SHOW MARIJUANA'S BENEFITS

I want thank Renee Downing for her thoughtful examination of our
government's marijuana policy and the consequences it has for members
of our community. As someone who has had two friends who relied on
marijuana to mitigate the side effects of their cancer treatment, I
appreciate her attention.

Marijuana also shows promise in providing relief for patients with
multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and AIDS, and even possible protection
against some cancers and Alzheimer's disease. I know about this,
because as a member of NORML, I receive their e-newsletter, which
updates subscribers on medical-marijuana research and legislative
initiatives around the globe. To me, the real crime is that people
suffering from these devastating diseases are forced to become
criminals to get relief from their symptoms.

In this age of global terrorism, the Bush administration has diverted
scarce law-enforcement resources to make prosecution of medical
marijuana dispensaries in California a top priority. This, despite
the fact that our own government studies have verified the relative
benignity of marijuana consumption. There is no known lethal dose of
cannabis, and recent British studies have concluded that marijuana
smokers are actually more cautious drivers.

But NORML does not endorse driving under the influence of marijuana
nor marijuana use by those less than 18. Rather, they support
legalization of responsible use of marijuana by adults. Our
government could use the tax revenues generated by such a policy and
the savings resulting from the decrease in the prison population.

Recent Gallup surveys indicate that 36 percent of Americans support
legalization of marijuana, and 75 percent of Americans 45 and older
support legalization of marijuana for medical use. One doesn't need
to be a marijuana user to be a NORML supporter. After all, many of us
support the work of human rights and relief organizations, even if we
personally have never needed their aid.

Anne Helwig