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 pains to assess the true state of facts in cases involving
 marijuana and other drugs_ since the body of medical, scientific,
 psychological, and sociological knowledge was growing rapidly.
 See ___q_ bg__/t____UrL_Jlg_h____J199_g _gUP_r__; __D_@IL__V. Uni_______
 _p_ra; H______u_Z_rnas, m_ra; P__lg____Zm_Cab__, supra; Pm_emle_
 _jdnclair, _/P_r__; HEat9 voCarus, HI/P-_; Ha]_ v_Stat_, _llP]_%;
 Nation____a_tiQrt_ffQ____Jlg__QrdZ__QLM _ _ v Drllg
 _i__Q__G_A_at_ 559 Fo2d 735, 748 (DoC. Cir. 1977)o
 Unfortunately, despite these early efforts, in the recent
 past, there have been no affirmative comparisons made between the
 harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco (_'legal drugs _) and the
 harmful effects of marijuana° As a result of the irrationality
 of this classification system as it relates to marijuana,
 sentencing guidelines and mandatory minimum sentences have been
 promulagated which are unconstitutional in that the punishment
 far exceeds the harm. A recent article in T_he nt' -
 magazine noted that
 Although the misuse of over-the._counter
 medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen,
 and antihistamines each year kills hundred of
 Americans, not a single death has ever been
 credibly attributed directly to smoking or
 consuming marijuana in the 5_000 years of the
 plant's recorded use° Marijuana is one of
 the few therapeutically active substances
 known to man for which there is no well-
 defined fatal dose. /____]l_ee_L__S_ti_l_te_
 __Dat ___D_would___have to __ZLQ_Lg_lhz/idrej
 _ounds o_ m _ - ° ° fifteen
 (Emphasis added) o 3
 3
 Schlosser, Eric, _Reefer Madness_ '_ . • °
 n
 Augusta 1994 at 48. A copy of the full article is attached
 15




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