Pubdate: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 Source: Daily Courier (Prescott, AZ) Copyright: 2011 Prescott Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.dcourier.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=1 Website: http://www.dcourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4036 Author: Alan Dean Foster MEDICAL MARIJUANA CAN BE A LIFESAVER - LITERALLY EDITOR: The following is from a recent paper published by the Institute for the Study of Labor: To date, 16 states have passed medical marijuana laws, yet very little is known about the law's effects. Using state-level data, we examine the relationship between medical marijuana laws and a variety of outcomes. Legalization of medical marijuana is associated with increased use of marijuana among adults, but not among minors. In addition, legalization is associated with a nearly 9 percent decrease in traffic fatalities, most likely because of its impact on alcohol consumption (emphasis mine). Alan Dean Foster Prescott - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.