Dear Ann Landers,
am not a hippie or a far-out creep with long hair and sandals. I attend a good Eastern school and am a law-abiding, peace-loving citizen. I want to ask a serious question and I need a direct answer. Is marihuana dangerous? Many of my friends smoke pot and have advanced some good arguments in favor of it. They claim pot gives them a high feeling but no hangover like alcohol. They insist it is not physically addictive and a person can quit without experienc-ing withdrawal symptoms. No one I know who smokes pot will admit to taking anything stronger. This discounts the theory that pot smokers often go on to other stuff. They say the only thing wrong with pot is that it is illegal, and the law will soon be changed. I have never used pot, but I confess the idea is somewhat appealing. Perhaps your answer will help me decide. It may also be useful for some of my pot-smoking friends, including my fiancee.-Undecided

Dear Undecided,
My answer to your question, "Is pot dangerous?" would cut no mustard. You might as well ask your mother. An answer from three of the country's most distinguished psychiatrists, however, might make a dent. Dr. Edward M. Litin, head of psychiatry at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, says: "I am dead set against marihuana because it produces confusion, hallucinations, and impulsive behavior. While some marihuana users have no inclination to try anything stronger, many do graduate from pot to more powerful drugs, and of course this can lead to serious trouble." Dr. Zigmond M. Lebensohn, chief of psychiatry at Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington, says: "I consider marihuana a serious problem for our 'alienated youth.' It is not harmless, as some users insist, and I am sorry the notion that it is nonaddictive has gained such wide acceptance. Although people who use marihuana do not experience withdrawal symptoms when it is removed, they are tremendously drawn to it and many users go back to marihuana after they have left the hospital because they want to recapture the pleasurable feeling. This dependency is just as serious as a physical addic-tion. In my professional experience I have seen a number of young people experience psychotic episodes precipitated by marihuana. Intense emotional experiences were sufficient to trip the balance in the direction of acute psychotic disorgani-zation. This sometimes lasts for weeks and even months. In certain instances, the effects continue indefinitely and cause complete disruption of a life plan, tremendous expense to the smoker and his family, and the end is often a totally unpro-ductive human being. Some individuals have been able to use marihuana and get away with it, but these individuals have stable nervous systems. Most young people who smoke mari-huana do not have stable central nervous systems, and for this reason it is particularly dangerous for them." Dr. Philip Solomon, clinical professor of psychiatry at Har-vard, says: "Some people have smoked marihuana for years and have experienced no damage whatever. For others it has proved disastrous. Marihuana is not harmless. It may not be addictive but it is habit-forming. In unstable personalities, marihuana can be the trigger that precipitates psychosis. Mari-huana is the coward's approach to dealing with life's prob-lems. Escaping does not produce a solution. It merely distorts the judgment and delays acting on a solution. Prolonged and continued escape can and will create serious incapacitation and move a person farther and farther from reality." So, there you have it from three leading authorities. I don't expect you to listen to me, but I do hope you listen to them.