This is an example of what Thomas Aquinas called
"ignorantia affectata", feigning
ignorance of the truth in order that you can continue
to promulgate your earlier
misinformation.
The report from the IOM was done at the behest of drug
czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey
(at a cost of one million dollars of our tax money) in
an attempt to stall California's
recent medical marijuana legislation and support the
generals claims marijuana was
"Cheech & Chong medicine". Unfortunately for
the general, when the report
was issued a year later it affirmed claims that
marijuana, even when smoked, was
medicine. "We concluded that there are some limited
circumstances in which we
recommend smoking
marijuana for medical uses." said Institute of Medicine
Principle
Investigator John Benson, M.D., at the IOM's 3/17/99 news conference.
This
prompted the administration to unleash Attny. general Reno's
"Justice
Department" on the Californians resulting in much
unnecessary suffering for thousands
of Cancer, AIDS, and MS patients and, last year, in
the death of author Peter
McWilliams.
With polls consistently showing overwhelming support
for medical marijuana and with a dozen
states having recently passed medical marijuana laws,
it's hard to understand just what Mr. Gore
is thinking of. The only explanation seems to be that
he is afraid of being called "soft on drugs"
by his opponent. With 75% of the American public
favoring medical marijuana and the
prestigious IOM on the same side of the issue one
would like to see a bit more courage from a
man who would be president of the United
States.
Nicolas Eyle, executive director
ReconsiDer: forum
on drug policy