MARIJUANA IS GOOD, MARIJUANA IS BAD

["Begs to differ," Letters, April 11]

We've gone through this circle a couple of times now. So, dispensing for
now with the whole "moral" issue, perhaps advocates of the substance can
answer a few questions. First, how do you propose dealing with people who
drive under the influence? I'm totally convinced that driving while stoned
is potentially dangerous, likely as dangerous as driving while drunk. Are
there tests that can be quickly administered to determine THC levels in the
body? Have any such laws been enacted in other countries, and what affect
did they have? Second, how do you deal with second-hand smoke? Pot smoke
can affect those who are in the immediate vicinity. I know this one from
personal experience, and it wasn't pleasant. Third, you speak of medical
benefits. What proof have you of this? I know that there have been some
studies, but merely talking about them in vague terms does very little to
convince anybody. Can you supply links to credible medical studies, both
long-term and short? I'm not going to say that the answers to these
questions will sway me to a pro-marijuana stance. But the answers would
certainly put some things in perspective for me.

Max F. Exter, Clarendon Hills, Illinois (Former Powell Riverite)