Marijuana too harmful to legalize

    Marijuana has always been an addictive and harmful substance, which is used for recreational purposes. Arkansans for Compassionate Care are attempting to dupe Arkansas citizens into believing that approving medical marijuana will help patients with legitimate medical conditions.

    It is important for voters to know that medical marijuana is a sham. Any use of marijuana, for any reason, remains illegal under federal law. Even if legalized by Arkansas voters, you will be subject to arrest by federal officials for possession or cultivation of marijuana.

    Though there are potentially useful chemicals in the marijuana plant, I have never seen anything good come from smoking marijuana. FDA-approved products are already legally available which take advantage of purified components of marijuana for treating disease with far less potential for harm.

    As a family physician, I have not and will not recommend marijuana, because legal prescription medications and other treatments are safer and work better. Please learn the facts and vote against this proposed initiated act in November. We do not want our children in Arkansas growing up thinking that marijuana is medicine.

Michael S. Cole, M.D.
2 October 2012
Southwest Times Record


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