Research results important

John Pauley (April 15 letter) found The Spokesman-Review’s coverage of scientific articles regarding pot smoking and gay marriage lacking in comparison to its coverage regarding gun use, whether in this country or in others.

While cherry-picking of scientific evidence is common in all controversial issues, there is considerable evidence that America’s love of guns has not made us one bit safer than people elsewhere who are not allowed free access to them. However, that ship has sailed due to a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court Second Amendment ruling overturning two centuries of precedence in constitutional interpretation and, sadly, we have to live with the consequences.

The most that can be hoped for is a little nibbling around the edges. In regard to pot-smoking, the U.S. government has funded at least 10 studies that show that pot smokers are no worse off than the average non-pot-smoker by most measures.

Finally, the Regnerus gay marriage study cited by Pauley has been soundly rebutted by experts who have examined his methodology, which did not compare the children of stable same-sex marriages to children of stable heterosexual marriages, completely invalidating his conclusions.

I do agree that more scientific research should be routinely presented here.

Greg Presley

Spokane