Pubdate: Sat, 15 Oct 2016
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Pamela McColl
Page: A13

DON'T PROMOTE WHOLE MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE

Re: "N.B. college offers marijuana cultivation program," Oct. 9.

Licensed medicines have to be single, pure chemicals so that their
effects are predictable and controllable and the correct dosage can be
calculated. Clinical trials have to be carried out.

There are no legitimate grounds for promoting whole marijuana as a
medicine. There should be no further argument or discussion. That the
government of New Brunswick selected to provide funds to finance a
marijuana-for-medical-purposes operation in return for the promise of
new jobs is an irresponsible use of the public purse.

Marijuana has been the subject of thousands of scientific studies, and
there is a reason that Big Pharma walked away from funding research on
marijuana 30 years ago. They discovered it was a complete dud. Those
now left to fund marijuana research are the taxpayer and the
selfserving pot industry.

Taxpayers would see their money much better spent on finding a cure
for HIV or other worthy causes and drop the notion that marijuana is a
legitimate medicine.

Pamela McColl

Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Matt