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Letters
Jan 18, 2008
Your article “Pot growers lure home
invaders” (Dec. 21) was yet another example of sloppy reporting
regarding the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program.
Unfortunately, patients and activists are used to
such careless reporting from virtually all of Oregon’s media, so the
Portland Tribune has plenty of company in this regard.
First, the headline is misleading and
inflammatory. Marijuana growers, medical or otherwise, do not “lure”
criminals into burglarizing their homes. To lure means to actively
attract, such as when a fisher lures a fish.
Thieves prey upon anyone who possesses valuable
items. However, I doubt your publication would ever print the headline
“Porsche owners lure car thieves.”
Also, the story implies that the Portland area
suffers from a home invasion crisis due to marijuana gardens, and yet
there aren’t any statistics to back up such a claim.
The article mistakenly states that Marinol
contains “the active ingredient in marijuana.” Marinol only contains
synthetic THC, which is just one cannabinoid contained in marijuana.
Many patients use marijuana to alleviate pain,
survive chemotherapy treatments or treat glaucoma. These patients
deserve fair reporting, not propaganda spread by those who wish to
treat them like criminals and provide a taxpayer handout to the
pharmaceutical industry.
Anthony Johnson
Southeast Portland
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