Your September 26th. front page story "Dispute over medical
marijuana rules" requires commentary.

Nancy Maffie suffers from lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and bone
deformities. She grew her own medical marijuana, which aids such
conditions. She faces felony charges.

That is the result of ignorance. Marijuana must be re-legalized for
adults. Period.

Marijuana is the world's least harmful drug, less harmful than
aspirin that has caused the death of thousands from internal bleeding. In
5,000 years of history marijuana has not caused one toxicity related death.
(Compare that to alcohol and nicotine products that together kill over
500,000 Americans each year.)

Marijuana prohibition was created through lies and misrepresentation
by former drug czar Harry Anslinger. Anslinger swore under oath that
"marijuana is the most violence causing drug in the history of mankind.
That it turns people into criminals, and many marijuana users go insane."
That is what marijuana prohibition was predicated upon. None of those
charges are true.

My newly released hardback book, "Marijuana: Not Guilty As Charged,"
was written to educate parents; those in government; law enforcement, and
medicine, the media; nonusers and users of marijuana. I've been an
investigative reporter for 50 years. I'm so convinced of my facts that I'm
offering $50,000 cash to anyone who can prove that marijuana is not
medicine.

The book examines and debunks each myth about marijuana. It will take
courage for District Attorney Mike Mullins and millions of Americans who
are supporting a corrupt law to read and learn the true reasons why
marijuana is prohibited medicine. And rather than prosecute users of
marijuana, work to change the law.

David R. Ford
Sonoma, CA