LETTER: Many legitimate medical uses for pot

To the editor:

In regards to the marijuana issue that is riling the Valley, I would like to share my experiences. We moved to Ashland, Oregon about eights years ago. They have had legal medical marijuana for over a decade, and just recently changed their laws to allow recreational use of marijuana. We heard all the standard anti-pot arguments, of which you are well aware. None of the dire predictions have proved out.

The medical and recreational marijuana programs in Oregon have caused no documented problems: no insanity, no car accidents, no violence, no nothing.

The herb DOES have legitimate medical applications, though clearly most people use it for recreation. Further, the city, county and state are all collecting needed revenues that are ticketed for education, mental health and drug and alcohol treatment.

There is a fantastic growth of marijuana related agricultural activity in Jackson County, producing a lot of jobs and economic impact. It has also brought fallow land into useful production.

People may speculate about the potential evils of marijuana, but so far, in Oregon, one of the pioneers in the field with nearly twenty years experience, none of them have come to pass.

Thought you might like to know.

—Tony Pippel

Ashland, Oregon