Contrary to this newspaper's position that "the silence has been deafening from the majority of medical providers" (Our View: "Respecting marijuana as medicine," March 3), physicians have been in the forefront of communicating their views on medical marijuana, both on the referendum and on the subsequent regulatory process.

The Massachusetts Medical Society, which has long supported reclassifying marijuana so it can be legally tested for safety and effectiveness, was highly vocal in opposing the referendum. We pointed out that marijuana has not been subjected to the same scientific testing as other drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration, that claims for its medical effectiveness have been anecdotal and not scientifically proven, and that smoking marijuana poses health risks, as marijuana smoke contains toxic substances as tobacco smoke does.

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Contrary to this newspaper's position that "the silence has been deafening from the majority of medical providers" ( Our View: "Respecting marijuana as medicine," March 3 ), physicians have been in the forefront of communicating their views on medical marijuana, both on the referendum and on the subsequent regulatory process.

The Massachusetts Medical Society, which has long supported reclassifying marijuana so it can be legally tested for safety and effectiveness, was highly vocal in opposing the referendum. We pointed out that marijuana has not been subjected to the same scientific testing as other drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration, that claims for its medical effectiveness have been anecdotal and not scientifically proven, and that smoking marijuana poses health risks, as marijuana smoke contains toxic substances as tobacco smoke does.

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