Jane Kelley wrote in a message to Alex Vasauskas:
AV>Some day there may be a reliable study conclusively demonstrating that
AV>marijuana induces chemical changes in the human brain that are commonly
AV>associated with proven drugs of dependence.  For example, if a study
AV>demonstrated that marijuana stimulates the release of the neurochemical
AV>dopamine in the so-called "reward pathways" of the brain and that
AV>subjects suffered effects of physical withdrawal upon, for example, the
AV>administration of a blocking agent directly into the brain, I would
AV>agree that marijuana may be addictive rather than just habituative to
AV>*some* people.
 JK> Go to the nearest Narcotics Anonymous meeting and ask the real
 JK> experts, those who have made a conscious and painful decision to
 JK> leave all mind altering drugs alone.
 JK> Ask them what they know about the stuff.
They know that they have a problem.  Some of those (rightly or wrongly) 
identify marijuana as being a cause rather than a symptom
of their problem.  Many are inclined to overgeneralize and conclude
that because they have a problem everyone else has the same
problem.
This overgeneralization is absurd in light of the evidence.
Consider alcohol, which the government's experts have determined is
addictive to 15% of those who drink.  It may be a demon to that 15%, but
it would be absurd to deprive or punish the remaining 85% just to try
to make alcohol unavailable to the 15%.
The worst that could be determined about marijuana was that it was
less addictive than coffee (although there was no determination
that it was addictive at all).  Furthermore, it has many proven medicinal
uses.  It is absurd to make policy and rule the nation according to
the judgment and unique circumstances of people in AA or NA. 
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