Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2016
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2016 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
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Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25
Note: Accepts letters to the editor from Arkansas residents only

A NON-ENDORSEMENT

FOLKS at the Health Department in this state were very careful about 
their words. As always. No need to make the controversial even more 
problematic.

The department was not to those pushing "medical" marijuana on the 
November ballots. The department was clarifying its position. Call 
the brass at the Health Department what you will, but don't call them 
impolitic.

It seems that somebody pushing, and we mean pushing, dope- as- 
medicine had said something on one of the radio stations in central 
Arkansas, something about perhaps the department gearing up in case 
one of the medical marijuana proposals passes this fall. The director 
of the department, Nathaniel Smith, told the papers that is not the case.

"We're discussing implications with our staff," Director Smith put 
it. "The Department of Health, as any state agency, will comply with 
any legal requirements that become law, but no, we're not taking any 
specific actions to responding prepare for this." Fine. But some of 
us would like the director's opinion on medical marijuana. 
Thankfully, he gave it: "This so-called medical marijuana doesn't 
meet either standards of safety or effectiveness and for all of these 
conditions, there are FDA- approved alternatives. That's why I 
can't-either as a physician or director of the Health 
Department-support it. That's been our consistent position, even 
under the previous administration."

Thank you, Nathaniel Smith. And thank you to the surgeon general of 
this state, Greg Bledsoe, who also told the papers of his concerns 
about the affects of medical marijuana in Arkansas.

When it comes to making this sort of decision-legalizing a gateway 
drug, exposing our kids to Aunt Sally's stash in her medicine cabinet 
( or her garden)- maybe the rest of us should listen to the experts. 
That is, the doctors in responsible positions with the state.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom