Medical Marijuana: Senator Ron Wyden and Miserable Misinformation

Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician Pharmacologist and Toxicologist.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Mrs. Pattie Aust wrote to Senator Ron Wyden requesting his support for Medical Marijuana. His response to her was scarcely believable. It appears he saw the movie REEFER MADNESS several times and believed every word of it.

I am responding with clarification of the miserable mis-information in his letter. First of all the voters in 11 states have voted for Medical Marijuana and about 65 percent of AARP members believe it should be available for medical patients. In Oregon 3000 medical doctors have approved its use.

Secondly cannabis/marijuana doesn’t harm anybody. At its worst its like 3 martinis. The worst adverse effect is SLEEP.

Thirdly if it were taxed like cigarettes or alcohol it would eliminate the national debt.

Fourthly, the U.S. Govt equates it with heroin, alcohol and tobacco which kill about one million per year. Cannabis has never killed anybody.

Fifth cannabis does NOT cause heart attacks, strokes or ANY other fatal health conditions. The immediate but short effects of marijuana cause memory and attention span defects. This is usually an effect of overdose by a first time user otherwise the effects are similar but less than alcohol, pain killers or even anti-depressants.

Sixthly to consider cannabis as a “gateway drug” is ridiculous. Even the U.S. Govt statistics say cannabis has been used by 70 million people. It is available everywhere and these 70 million know it is relatively harmless.

The U.S. Govt has falsely demonized cannabis for 80 years because It is in competition with the medical, petroleum, pharmaceutical, cotton and timber industries.

The DEAs Administrative Judge Francis L. Young and even the American College of Physicians (100,000 members) say that cannabis is very safe and should be totally released as over-the-counter medicine just like aspirin or Tylenol which are far more dangerous and kill patients.

Senator Wyden, I hope you will have your staff get you some factual information about medical marijuana. It has been used for at least 4000 years with not one death from overdose.

More information on the history of Dr. Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of WWII about his own experiences "from a foxhole".
Order the book by mail by following this link: Dogface Soldier

Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque.

Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com:
Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

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Deb October 4, 2008 1:41 pm (Pacific time)

Mr. Wyden writes: "The serious effects that illegal drugs have on healthy families and communities cannot be ignored." This is probably the only truth in his statement. The use of illegal drugs creates an air of secrecy or sneakiness around their use. Children notice and know they 'aren't supposed to talk about it' or even use it as a leverage against their parents. This causes harm to the family and the community. How much better to legalize marijuana, and remove all the questionable behavior? He doesn't even address his 2nd point, that of creating revenue for the government. He probably knows it is true.

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