Pubdate: Wed, 22 Aug 2001
Source: Columbian, The (WA)
Website: http://www.columbian.com/
Address: 701 W 8th St, Vancouver, WA 98666
Contact:  2001 The Columbian Publishing Co.
Forum: http://www.webforums.com/forums/trace/host/msa70.html
Author: Sandra S. Bennett

MARIJUANA IS NOT MEDICINE

Regarding her Aug. 9 column, "Canadians sanely euphoric about medicinal 
marijuana," Ellen Goodman seems to be suffering from a "contact high" or 
perhaps something even more profound.

Marijuana is not a medicine.  It is a plant that has many compounds, some 
of which have proven to have medical properties.  But like the urine of 
pregnant mares, frog slime, snake venom, fox glove, and thousands of other 
things found in nature, it is not the raw material that is safe and 
effective to use. It is the isolated compound that is either extracted or 
synthesized and tested for safety and effectiveness, that can be carefully 
titrated for the right dose for an individual's medical condition.

Smoking pot just does not cut it.  What is does do is accentuate the 
placebo effect, a phenomenon which science has found will make about 40 
percent of individuals think they are better or cured.  Further, marijuana 
masks symptoms.  Many of those who claim medical necessity haven't even 
been to a doctor. They think because their symptoms are alleviated their 
medical problems is cured.  These people are going untreated and their 
immune systems undermined.

Sandra S. Bennett
La Center, Wash.
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