Pubdate: Thu, 17 May 2001
Source: Augusta Chronicle, The (GA)
Copyright: 2001 The Augusta Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.augustachronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/31
Note: Does not publishing letters from outside of the immediate Georgia and 
South Carolina circulation area

POT DESERVEDLY KO'D

The U.S. Supreme Court was right to rule this week that dispensing 
marijuana to sick people violates federal drug laws. Indeed, the medical 
marijuana movement is nothing more than a thinly veiled effort to legalize 
pot smoking.

The decision sends the message that the nation's highest court is not going 
to be misled by junk-science. There is no credible evidence that pot 
smoking has any significant medicinal benefits.

There is much evidence, however, to show that pot can be a gateway drug to 
much worse addictive substances.

In those extremely rare cases where hemp can be shown to alleviate pain and 
nausea associated with cancer or arthritis, doctors may prescribe it by 
pill and soon, we understand, by patch. This provides much more direct and 
efficient relief than smoking the stuff which may cause other health problems.

In an interesting twist the justices' 8-0 ruling does not invalidate 
measures adopted by voters in eight states that give sick people a 
''right'' to obtain marijuana for medical purposes; however, the opinion, 
written by Justice Clarence Thomas, does make clear that the distribution 
of marijuana is illegal throughout the U.S.

In other words, sick people may smoke pot but not if they get it from 
anyone who distributes it. That suggests the only way they can be legal 
with the hemp is to grow it themselves - but, of course, it would be 
illegal to sell it, or even give it away, to anyone else.

Though we welcome the high court's decision as striking a moral blow 
against the nation's unlawful drug culture, the feds will have an awful 
time enforcing it since there's no reason for local or state authorities to 
help them.

In fact, we doubt they'll even try unless they're working with localities 
and states on much bigger drug busts that only incidentally involve 
cannabis use.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens