This letter is in response to the Aug. 29 editorial regarding synthetic marijuana (Our view: "Cannabis crackdown").
The series of chemicals in synthetic marijuana products isn't going to go away because of a silly ban, just like marijuana didn't go away after being banned. There are real risks associated with using these drugs, but in the end they are far safer than alcohol or tobacco when used appropriately.
The chemicals in K2 and other products will most definitely induce temporary panic and dysphoria if the user overdoses. The same is true for marijuana, although it is much more difficult to overdose on marijuana for various reasons. That is the most serious proven risk associated with cannabinoids. Any other claim should be met with extreme skepticism, not paraded around as hard evidence. The true risks of these drugs should be discussed openly and honestly.
I can only hope that sometime in my life society will become mature enough to discuss mind-altering chemicals without hyperbole and misinformation. Unfortunately, a rational discussion is impossible when all the opponents of this drug are concerned about is scaring people with anecdotes that make extremely dubious claims about seizures, comas, mental breakdowns, etc. These same claims have been made regarding marijuana and have been thoroughly debunked. I was sorry to see the News Tribune decided to be part of the problem.
Brooks Bonkoski
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Duluth
