Letters: What if my doctor prescribed cigarettes?

Suppose I told my doctor that I am depressed and become constipated after meals. Nicotine can remedy both problems.

Would the harmful effects suddenly dissipate because my doctor called it “medicine” and “prescribed” it for “limited indications”? Of course not.

America has spent huge sums of money to educate the public that smoking tobacco can cause disease and may eventually kill. Science tells us that marijuana smoke may be even more toxic than cigarette smoke. So how can we call anything that is smoked “medicine”?

Smoked marijuana helps patients with certain medical conditions, much as smoked nicotine helps many cope with daily stress in their lives. However, scientists must find a better way to deliver the desired medical benefits of marijuana to avoid disease cause by combusted leaves.

I hope the medical community and elected officials consider these points when determining whether South Carolina will allow smoked marijuana to be classified as “medicine.”