COMMENTARY - A doctor's case for legal pot

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A Doctor's Case For Legal Pot

Wall Street Journal

JANUARY 15, 2010

By DAVID L. NATHAN

Most Americans are paying too much for marijuana. I'm not referring to

people who smoke it—using the drug generally costs about as much as

using alcohol. Marijuana is unaffordable for the rest of America

because billions are wasted on misdirected drug education and

distracted law enforcement, and we also fail to tax the large

underground economy that supplies cannabis.

On Monday, the New Jersey legislature passed a bill legalizing

marijuana for a short list of medical uses. Outgoing Democratic Gov.

Jon Corzine says he will sign it into law. This is a positive step, as

cannabis has several unique medical applications. But the debate over

medical marijuana has obscured the larger issue of pot prohibition.

As a psychiatrist, I treat individuals who often suffer from

devastating substance abuse. Over many years of dealing with my

patients' problems, I have come to realize that we are wasting

precious resources on the fight against marijuana, which more closely

resembles legal recreational drugs than illegal ones. My conscience

compels me to support a comprehensive and nationwide decriminalization

of marijuana.

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Read the full article here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703414504575001192775584982.html

Not an MD