Marijuana use as a medical and social issue

It's time that we allow medical decisions to be made by doctors, not by politicians. I hope in future articles you will explore the economic benefits that could be derived from the legalization of cannabis, the No. 1 cash crop of California and the nation.

We should also reconsider the prohibitions against growing hemp in the United States. Hemp is an entirely renewable resource that can be used as food, fuel, clothing, paper and many other materials. Henry Ford even used hemp to create biodegradable car parts!

Tim Martinez

Pasadena

This is a pro-marijuana article. Have you watched or listened to Dr. Drew Pinsky? According to Dr. Drew, marijuana addiction is real, especially among teens. Your article did mention this in a quote by Tom Riley. However, the rest of the article was a lame attempt to show that doing weed doesn't really have any harmful effects on people, based on the studies that have been done.

You are attempting to deny what is by confusing us with medical studies and statistics.

Jay Cook

Anaheim Hills

Record numbers of citizens arrested for marijuana possession have been forced into treatment by the criminal justice system. The resulting distortion of treatment statistics is used by shameless drug warriors to make the misleading claim that marijuana is "addictive."

For an objective take on marijuana, look to Canada. After months of research, the Canadian Senate concluded in 2002 that marijuana is relatively harmless, marijuana prohibition contributes to organized crime, and law enforcement efforts have little impact on patterns of use.

In the words of Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue."

Robert Sharpe,

Policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.

Doubts about proposed law, weight loss

Re: [ “Shining Light on Fast Food Calories,” Aug. 18], Losing weight consists of having knowledge and making better food choices -- a very personal decision. Government cannot and will not make people lose weight by enacting this proposed law, SB 1420.