Pubdate: Thu, 07 Apr 2011 Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Copyright: 2011 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Author: Edson F. Allen 3 REASONS MEDICAL POT IS JUST SMOKE A letter writer bemoans the fact that medical professionals are not fully supportive of medical marijuana ("Doctors hiding from medical-pot law," Letter, Wednesday). I can think of three reasons: 1. Under federal law, marijuana is illegal. 2. The FDA, which puts new drugs through rigorous trials, has found no evidence that marijuana reduces pain. 3. If there was an ingredient in marijuana that did ease pain, wouldn't some pharmaceutical firm have identified it by now? And packaged it for sale in a legal manner? Doctors are doing the right thing by being skeptical about this latest snake-oil remedy. - Edson F. Allen Sun City West - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake