Pubdate: Wed, 19 May 2004
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2004 The Sacramento Bee
Contact:  http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Author: Joseph McGhee
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n712/a07.html

MARIJUANA PANIC

Re "Dope alarm," editorial, May 12: The increase in emergency room
visits by "young pot smokers" has primarily shown that THC can induce
panic attacks in susceptible individuals, a fact which has been well
known for years. Perhaps the most important and most often overlooked
fact to note is that none of these "young pot smokers" died from a THC
overdose.With tens of thousands of people, including children, dying
each year from alcohol-related accidents, illnesses and crimes, and
hundreds of thousands dying from tobacco related illness each year, a
discussion about the dangers of the escalating THC content of
marijuana is laughable.

Marijuana is not a harmless drug, but it's certainly safer than the
two most popular and destructive drugs in the history of mankind -
alcohol and tobacco. Only a fool would argue otherwise.

Joseph McGhee, Sacramento
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake