Pubdate: Mon, 25 Aug 2008
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Section: Health
Copyright: 2008 Los Angeles Times
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/bc7El3Yo
Website: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n794/a03.html
Author: Tim Martinez

MARIJUANA USE AS A MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUE

I applaud the fair-minded analysis of the medical benefits of 
cannabis ["Harmful? Helpful?," Aug. 18]. Your article avoided the 
biases that so often plague this issue.

It's time that we allow medical decisions to be made by doctors, not 
by politicians. I hope in future articles you will explore the 
economic benefits that could be derived from the legalization of 
cannabis, the No. 1 cash crop of California and the nation.

We should also reconsider the prohibitions against growing hemp in 
the United States. Hemp is an entirely renewable resource that can be 
used as food, fuel, clothing, paper and many other materials. Henry 
Ford even used hemp to create biodegradable car parts!

Tim Martinez

Pasadena 
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