United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510-4302

July 3, 1998

Ms. Tammera Halphen

Dear Ms. Halphen:

Thank you for your letter regarding the medical use of marijuana. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this issue.

As you know, this issue has received considerable public attention as the result of efforts in California and Arizona to decriminalize the possession and cultivation of marijuana for medical treatment. Both the California and Arizona initiatives were presented to voters as providing compassionate treatment alternatives for those suffering from diseases such as cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. Advocates of these Propositions argued that people diagnosed with such diseases should have the right to use marijuana - and, in Arizona's case, a variety of other Schedule I drugs - to help them manage their disease.

While I agree that we must continue our efforts to discover and develop treatment alternatives for those faced with painful and often life-threatening illnesses, I do not believe that the answer lies in the legalization of dangerous drugs. Clearly, that is what these initiatives are at their core -- an effort to establish an air of legitimacy for such substances.
 

One of the main problems with efforts to promote the smoking of marijuana for medical purposes is that it relies on poor science. There is no existing medical research to support the contention that this substance has any beneficial health application, and analysis by the Drug Enforcement Administration has repeatedly refuted such claims. In fact, virtually every doctor's organization in the country opposed the medical use of this drug, including the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, the National Multiple Sclerosis Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Moreover, I am concerned that these measures send the wrong message to our nation's children at a time when marijuana use among teens is on the rise. Current statistics show that use of this drug among young people age 12 to 17 went up 141 percent between 1992 and 1995, and overall teen drug use has more than doubled. Marijuana also acts as a gateway drug -- a first step toward the use of other substances such as cocaine, heroin, or LSD. Research demonstrates that children under the age of 18 who experiment with marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than those who have never tried marijuana. I have long held that our society must adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward drug use, and I remain convinced that we must be both clear and consistent in our opposition to drug use in America. We have a special obligation to be vigilant in protecting our children from the threat of drugs, and I believe that legalizing the use of marijuana runs counter to that objective.

As a former college professor, I would like to commend your for your interest in national issues that affect all Americans. Through education, a new world of ideas, perspectives and opportunities is made available to young Americans. Your work may be difficult at times, but I can guarantee you that the only sure road to success is through industriousness perseverance. The skills and virtues that you learn while in school will carry over in everything you do.