An opposing point of view on marijuana use, benefits

Robert J. Croteau

This is in response to the April 28 letter in The Valley Breeze from retired Chief of Lincoln Police Robert Kells. He cites the organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana – or SAM – where they use “scientific understanding” of marijuana. They use the term “marijuana poisoning.”

In all my life, I’ve never heard of such a ridiculous, unscientific, biased, ignorant statement as that.

Let’s use some real scientific evidence stated by both UCLA Research and Seth Research Laboratories under the heading “Pot Kills Cancer Cells.”

According to the researchers, all animals, including humans, are fundamentally wired to respond to cannabis. They went so far as to coin a new term to describe this: Endocannabinoid System.

They state the cannabis acts as an antiangiogenic, meaning it prevents formation of new blood vessels needed by a tumor to grow.

Next, it also acts a an antimetastatic, that prevents cancer from spreading to other organs.
And finally, it is apoptotic, induces abnormal cells to seek their own death. The ability of the endocannabinoid sytem: Kill bad cells while protecting healthy ones. This is real science.

The federal government had no right to criminalize cannabis in the first place. No doubt seeing the vast profits of a doctor/pharma industrial complex, they prevented the public from using a God-given, naturally growing herb to aid in their overall health, after all there’s no money to be made from healthy people.

Chief Kell’s entire career, regarding this issue and his staunch beliefs about it, is based on disinformation, and lies. Repeat a falsehood often enough, especially after decades, and it gradually becomes accepted a truth.

I encourage Chief Kells with respect and a bit of humor to sit down, relax, light-up, and vent his mind.