Pubdate: Mon, 11 Dec 2006
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)
Copyright: 2006 PG Publishing
Contact:  http://www.post-gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/341
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1652/a09.html?290217
Author: Joe Province
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

THE KIND BUD

In response to the Dec. 5 article "Researchers Say Smoking Pot Not 
Always Path to Hard Drug Use": The results of this study are hardly 
shocking. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has funded similar 
studies in which the government hoped to reinforce some of their 
"facts" about smoking marijuana.

A recent study at UCLA found that there was no link between smoking 
marijuana and lung cancer. Dr. Donald Tashkin, a UCLA pulmonologist 
who has studied marijuana for 30 years, said in a Washington Post 
article in May, "We hypothesized that there would be a positive 
association between marijuana use and lung cancer and that the 
association would be more positive with heavier use, What we found 
instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some 
protective effect."

More and more we are seeing that the myths surrounding the use of 
marijuana are being debunked. It's time to get rid of the social 
stigma and criminal records associated with its use.

Joe Province

Shaler
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman