Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2013
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2013 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
Contact: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/contact/voicesform/
Website: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25
Note: Accepts letters to the editor from Arkansas residents only
Author: Terry Phillips
Referenced: www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n045/a05.html

DIAL DOWN HYPOCRISY

Your editorial "More Dope from Denver" should have been titled "More 
dopey opinions from Arkansas." To conclude that medical marijuana is 
bad, you cite a study that showed teens under treatment for drug 
abuse smoked medical marijuana they got from someone else.

Authorities claim we are suffering a dangerous trend of young people 
here in Arkansas abusing prescription medication they steal from 
their parents. And yet I've seen nothing from your editorials 
suggesting that the solution is to ban any prescribed medication that 
is being abused, to rip it out of the hands of those who need it 
because some kids wanted to get high.

If we took a survey of teens here, we would undoubtedly find that a 
large majority have consumed alcohol bought legally by an adult. Want 
to go back to Prohibition? And don't get me started on cigarettes and 
coffee, all of which can be abused and are substantially less harmful 
and more addictive than marijuana.

Try being a little less hypocritical in your next pronouncement on 
what individuals should be consuming for their mental and physical well-being.

TERRY PHILLIPS

Bentonville
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom