HEMP OPPONENTS IGNORE THE FACTS

MARIJUANA GROUP EXPLOITS THE SICK

I have been lax in replying to pro-drug legalization groups such as the Drug Policy Alliance, which has an office and staff in Trenton to lobby legislators and inundate media, including the Your Views column in the Asbury Park Press, with pro-drug propaganda. ( “Medical groups back legal marijuana,” May 19. )

Contrary to the DPA statement, the 1999 Institute of Medicine report that notes marijuana and its cannabinoids have therapeutic potential says marijuana should not be smoked. A new, safe delivery system would have to be found for it to have medical value.

The group also cites reports from small, uninformed medical groups that base their reports on information supplied by the DPA and written by its members. It cites a poll that it says finds vast support for medical marijuana, but the group neglects to point out it put the questions together for the pollsters to reach those conclusions.

Law enforcement, community and school organizations have taken strong stands against the legislative bills in New Jersey because they will increase the already incredibly high usage of marijuana. The DPA should stop preying on sick people to help accomplish its goal of drug legalization.

Terrence P. Farley

SEASIDE PARK

NEW JERSEY NARCOTICS

Despite what opponents say, marijuana does not have to be smoked to benefit from its therapeutic qualities. It can be cooked and eaten. Many people with cancer, multiple sclerosis, narcotic addictions and other medical conditions can benefit from marijuana consumption. ( “Marijuana group exploits the sick,” May 27. )

Proponents aren’t using propaganda. They are merely stating the facts. It’s law enforcement that thrives on negative and mostly untrue propaganda.

Hemp has played an important role in this country. The sails, ropes, rigging and sailor’s clothing on the Mayflower and many other early settlers’ ships were made of hemp. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. Clean-burning fuel can be made from hemp. Many nutritious foods come from the hemp plant. The book “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” by Jack Heror is full of facts.

George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, to name a few, grew hemp. Before 1927, farmers were fined if they didn’t grow hemp.

The only reason it became illegal is because business moguls such as William Randolph Hearst, the DuPonts and big pharmaceutical companies successfully lobbied for laws to make it that way. Why? They wanted to develop things from petrochemicals. Plastics, fuel, fabrics, food, medicine and many other things can be made from the hemp plant. None of those products made from hemp harm or poison the environment, as do petrochemicals.

No one has been recorded as dying from smoking marijuana. You can’t say that about taking morphine, cocaine, alcohol or even caffeine and aspirin.

I challenge anyone to find a negative fact about marijuana use. I don’t believe there is one.

Michael C. Limper

BRICK

Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ)

Website: http://www.app.com/