Pubdate: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 Source: Des Moines Register (IA) Copyright: 2009 The Des Moines Register. Contact: http://DesMoinesRegister.com/help/letter.html Website: http://desmoinesregister.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/123 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n727/a03.html Author: Michael J. Navin PUT LEGALIZATION OF POT TO A VOTE Concerning the Register's story about a judge ruling that the Iowa Board of Pharmacy must examine whether marijuana has an accepted medical use ("Medical Marijuana Hearings Planned," July 22): I would think that there have been many studies done already that could be used to come to an unbiased decision. Past studies must have supported legalizing marijuana because you never hear of the results. I don't understand how pharmacists could not help but be biased. If people could grow Lipitor on a bush, the pharmacy people would say it should be illegal. My guess is that the pharmaceutical industry can see the writing on the wall; pot relieved my nausea (no more antacids, Pepto-Bismol), hey, I don't feel stressed (no more Valium), less stress equals lower blood pressure (throw out some more pills). Why not dig up some studies, release the results to the public, have some debates and let them vote on the issue? I'm sure that by now it's been proven that pot is not addictive and nicotine is. Let's make tobacco illegal instead. Oh, I forgot, the tobacco industry has a lot of money. The people with illnesses such as AIDS and cancer have enough on their plates without having the government withholding something that could ease their pain. - - Michael J. Navin, Menlo - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom