Pubdate: Oct. 17, 1997 Source: London Free Press Website: http://www.canoe.ca/LondonOpinions/ Address: 369 York St., London, Ont., N6A 4G1 Fax: 15196674528 Contact: Section: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR God doesn't give us diseases Regarding the Speaker's Corner, Marijuana doesn't make us crazy, the illness does (Sept. 24), by Lynn Harichy. In defence of God and marijuana: diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, are no more an act of God than crimes committed by humans, including the poverty of our children, the neglect of our elderly and the discrimination of our disabled. God doesn't give us disease for any perceived reason. Diseases are an abhorrence of nature, mostly caused by the gross mismanagement of it by humans. God, however, did give us nature, with all its wondrous gifts, such as remedial herbs. With these, he gave us the power and the choice to use them intelligently or to abuse them. We should treat God's gifts with respect and responsibility. What God has given Harichy is not this dreadful disease, but the tools to deal with it, including courage, intelligence and marijuana. SUZANNE AUBERTIN London