On Friday, the British medical journal Lancet published a 13 page meta-analysis 'Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychosis in Later Life.'

As a result the media around the world has used the study, most often with incorrect data and conclusions, to create another reefer mania scare.

Backers of stern cannabis prohibition laws have seized on this news to urge the British government to increase the potential punishment of users under their laws.

More reasoned voices have cautioned that escalating criminal penalties based on a perceived increased health risk would be counterproductive. See 'Experts Dismiss Case for Cannabis Reclassification' http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n901/a05.html

MAP is continually archiving both international and domestic coverage of the issue as we receive clippings. These press clippings may be reviewed by using the following link, which is updated nightly. Note that MAP identifies press stories by the location of the story. Thus a number at the link are identified as "UK:" but are actually from newspapers in the United States or Canada.

http://www.mapinc.org/topics/psychosis

Please consider writing and sending Letters to the Editor to the newspapers of your choice. It is important that mainstream newspaper editors and opinion writers are given a more complete and balanced perspective than that being pushed by prohibitionists. If you elect to write to more than one newspaper, we suggest at least some modification of your message so that each newspaper receives a unique letter.

Thanks for your effort and support.

It's not what others do, it's what YOU do.

**********************************************************************

The study, as published in the Lancet, was placed on line by the Guardian as a 13 page .pdf file.

See: http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2007/07/27/cannabis_new.pdf

The best critique of the media's reaction to the study we have seen provides an accurate assessment of the report. Thus it may provide ideas for letter writers. Please see the column 'Cannabis Data Comes to the Crunch' at http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n906/a02.html

Additionally, as the Lancet study was in the preparatory stages this past May, NORML's Paul Armentano provided an astute analysis of the core propositions put forth.

See: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6798

Armentano's analysis may help letter writers more accurately explain key alternative conclusions which may be drawn from the Lancet study.

**********************************************************************

Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

http://www.mapinc.org/resource/#guides

Or contact MAP's Media Activism Facilitator for personal tips on how
to write LTEs that get printed.

heath@mapinc.org

**********************************************************************

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent
letter list ( sentlte@mapinc.org ) if you are subscribed, or by
E-mailing a copy directly to heath@mapinc.org if you are not
subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list so others
can learn from your efforts.

Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ( sentlte@mapinc.org )will help you
to review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing efforts.

To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see: http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

**********************************************************************

Prepared by: The MAP Media Activism Team www.mapinc.org/resource

===
DrugSense provides many services at no charge, but they are not free to produce. Your contributions make DrugSense and its Media Awareness Project (MAP) happen. Please donate today. Our secure Web server at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm accepts credit cards. Or, mail your check or money order to:
DrugSense
14252 Culver Drive #328
Irvine, CA 92604-0326.
(800) 266 5759
DrugSense is a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the expensive, ineffective, and destructive "War on Drugs." Donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.