Response to letter from senator

So I finally got a response to letters I've been sending to my senators. Its what I expected just a lot of false fallacies. well here it is..


Dear Mr. MicahSK,

Thank you for writing to express your support for the legalization of marijuana. It is good to hear from you.

I appreciate your thoughtful views on this issue and will certainly take them into account. This is unfortunately an issue where we disagree though. As a practicing physician, I oppose the legalization of marijuana based upon sound public health factors. The medical literature continues to show that marijuana is not safe and effective for medical use and that safer alternatives exist.

In 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) completed an extensive analysis in response to a request to reschedule marijuana to a less restrictive narcotics schedule. After looking at all the relevant data on marijuana, HHS concluded that the weight of the scientific evidence supported the findings that marijuana should continue to be scheduled as Schedule I because it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of accepted evidence about the safety of using marijuana under medical supervision.

While all of the long-term effects of marijuana use are not yet known, there are studies showing serious physical and mental health concerns. The volume of literature detailing the harmful effects of whole, smoked marijuana, in fact, continues to grow and shows that marijuana is harmful in a number of ways, through both immediate effects and damage to health over time. According to a recent report, marijuana smoke is more toxic than cigarettes. Researchers who compared marijuana smoke to tobacco smoke found that ammonia levels were 20 times higher in the marijuana smoke, and that hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen-related chemicals were also more prevalent in the marijuana smoke. A 2007 study by British researchers found that smoking one cannabis joint is as harmful to a person's lungs as having up to five cigarettes. Furthermore, marijuana hinders the user's short-term memory, and may cause trouble for a user in handling complex tasks.

Other studies, both on animals and humans, have shown that marijuana impairs the ability of T-cells in the lungs' immune defense system to fight off some infections. Findings show that the regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in cancer and problems in the respiratory and immune systems. Marijuana smoking could also contribute to early development of head and neck cancer. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has found that "high doses of marijuana can induce psychosis (disturbed perceptions and thoughts), and marijuana use can worsen psychotic symptoms in people who have schizophrenia. There is also evidence of increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking in chronic marijuana users." According to the American Psychiatric Association, "Marijuana use may trigger panic attacks, paranoia, even psychoses, especially if you suffering from anxiety, depression or having thinking problems."

The bottom line is that marijuana is an unsafe, addictive drug that poses significant health threats to users and society. Therefore, I oppose any effort to legalize it for medical or recreational use and support efforts to prevent marijuana abuse.

Thank you again for writing me. I am sorry we do not see eye-to-eye on this issue, but I am glad to have your views. Please feel free to write me in the future.

Sincerely,

Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
United States Senator

 

I'm in Oklahoma's democratic 2nd congressional district.

 

I honestly don't know. I've never heard of that but with the laws here i wouldn't be surprised. The laws here seem to get stricter as everyone else seems to slowly be moving towards legalization.

 

yup, in August 2011 that passed. Its a Felony to extract THC which owning a grinder with a screen can be considered that