Source:   New Scientist April  12, 1997 Letters, Pg. 50
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DOPE ON DOPE by Thomas O'Connell
Copyright (c) 1997, New Scientist IPC Magazines Ltd

 San Mateo, California

    The conclusions of the panel of experts convened at the
request of the National Institutes of Health were amazingly
frank and accurate, given the political dynamite with which
they were dealing.

    The opinion that whatever evaluation of safety and
efficacy marijuana is subjected to, it will have the added
burden of proving it is the best agent available would be
regarded as facetious if made about any other class of
therapeutic agents. In the case of marijuana, for a
scientist to allow that such an outcome is even possible is
regarded as dangerous heresy and its utterance a mark of
defiance.

    This is the sad state of affairs American drug policy
has brought us to. The most realistic hope at this point is
that if enough rational people are motivated to think about
these problems, they may gain enough insight into the
ridiculous and destructive nature of the paradigm of
doctrinaire global  drug prohibition  to want to change it.

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