Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jan 2014
Source: Macon Telegraph (GA)
Copyright: 2014 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.macontelegraph.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n034/a05.html
Author: J.C. Smith

REAL DANGERS

I found political pundit Erick Erickson's remarks in his column "The
politics of pot" (1/10) to be unsupported and mainly fearmongering
with outdated concepts.

While Erickson takes potshots at medical marijuana and its recreational
usage as dangerous "unbridled hedonism" and leading to another sexual
revolution, he also makes the assumption that "perhaps we should just
wait a few years then re-examine Colorado before rushing on."

Where is his caution about opioid drugs? I suggest Erickson has avoided
looking at medical heroin in the same light, such as the popular opiates 
like morphine, methadone, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone
or Oxycotin, that have led to more addictions and deaths than
marijuana ever has.

Certainly the Hillbilly Heroin epidemic remains rampant as the
so-called "pill mills" dispense opioid painkillers like Halloween
candy, creating an unbridled epidemic of narcotic addiction to the
point that Thomas Frieden, M.D., director for the CDC, minced no words
in 2011 when he said that "physicians have supplanted street corner
drug pushers as the most important suppliers of illicit narcotics."

Before Erickson jumps on his conservative bandwagon prematurely
denouncing the effects of marijuana on our society, let's hear his
views on these opiates that are far more dangerous, addictive and
deadly. But like Rush Limbaugh, a known Oxycotin addict, I doubt
Erickson understands the real dangers in these drugs.

J.C. Smith

Warner Robins
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MAP posted-by: Matt