Bob Barr

About the author: Bob Barr, a former U.S. attorney, is currently a U.S. Representative from the seventh district of Georgia who serves on the House Judiciary Committee.

The notion of legalizing marijuana as medicine is a tactic used by marijuana advocates to make marijuana and other drugs widely and legally available. Although no research proves smoking marijuana has any therapeutic value, evidence has revealed the dangers of marijuana use. Not only does marijuana contain carcinogens, impair memory, and lead to use of other drugs, the cost of marijuana's use in the workplace and on the roadways has been substantial. Moreover, the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes would lead to perverse interpretations of the law.

Eleven years ago, as the Reagan presidency and its successful "Just Say No" campaign were coming to a close...