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         14.  By contrast, marijuana's therapeutic ratio, like its LD-50, 
is impossible to quantify because it is so high.
         15.  In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many 
foods we commonly consume.  For example, eating ten raw potatoes can 
result in a toxic response.  By comparison, it is physically impossible 
to eat enough marijuana to induce death.
         16.  Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest 
therapeutically
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active substances known to man.  By any measure of rational analysis 
marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care.
         17.  Some of the drugs most widely used in chemotherapy 
treatment of cancer have adverse effects as follows:
               Cisplatin, one of the most powerful chemo-
         therapeutic agents used on humans - may cause deafness;
         may lead to life-threatening kidney difficulties and
         kidney failure; adversely affects the body's immune
         system, suppressing the patient's ability to fight a
         host of common infections.
               Nitrogen Mustard, a drug used in therapy for
         Hodgkins disease - nauseates; so toxic to the skin
         that, if dropped on the skin, this chemical literally
         eats it away along with other tissues it contacts; if
         patient's intravenous lead slips during treatment and
         this drug gets on or under the skin the patient may
         suffer serious injury including temporary, and in
         extreme cases, permanent, loss of use of the arm.
               Procarbizine, also used for Hodgkins disease -
         has known psychogenic, i.e., emotional, effects.
               Cyoxin, also known as Cyclophosphanide -
         suppresses patient's immune system response; results
         in serious bone marrow depletion; studies indicate
         this drug may also cause other cancers, including
         cancers of the bladder.
               Adriamycan, has numerous adverse effects; is
         difficult to employ in long term therapies because it
         destroys the heart muscle.
While each of these agents has its particular adverse effects, as 
indicated above, they also cause a number of similar, disturbing adverse 
effects.  Most of these drugs cause hair loss.  Studies increasingly 
indicate all of these drugs may cause other forms of cancer.  Death due 
to kidney, heart or respiratory failure is a very real possibility with 
all of these agents and the margin for error is minimal.  Similarly, 
there is a danger of overdosing a patient weakened by his cancer.  Put 
simply, there is very great risk associated with the medical
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use of these chemicals agents.  Despite these high risks, all of these 
drugs are considered "safe" for use under medical supervision and are 
regularly administered to patients on doctor's orders in the United 
States today.
         18.  There have been occasional instances of panic reaction in 
patients who have smoked marijuana.  These have occurred in marijuana-
naive persons, usually older persons, who are extremely anxious over the 
forthcoming chemotherapy and troubled over the illegality of their having 
obtained the marijuana.  Such persons have responded to simple person-to-
person communication with a doctor and have sustained no long term mental 
or physical damage.  If marijuana could be legally obtained, and 
administered in an open, medically-supervised session rather than 
surreptitiously, the few instances of such adverse reaction doubtless 
would be reduced in number and severity.
         19.  Other reported side effects of marijuana have been minimal.  
Sedation often results.  Sometimes mild euphoria is experienced.  Short 
periods of increased pulse rate and of dizziness are occasionally 
experienced.  Marijuana should not be used by persons anxious or 
depressed or psychotic or with certain other health problems.  Physicians 
could readily screen out such patients if marijuana were being employed 
as an agent under medical supervision.
         20.  All drugs have "side effects" and all drugs used in 
medicine for their therapeutic benefits have unwanted, unintended, 
sometimes adverse effects.
         21.  In medical treatment "safety" is a relative term.  A drug 
deemed "safe" for use in treating a life-threatening disease might be 
"unsafe" if prescribed for a patient with a minor ailment.  The concept 
of drug "safety" is relative.  Safety is measured against the 
consequences a patient would confront in the absence of therapy.  The 
determination of "safety" is made in terms of 
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