Petrelis Files

Pelosi Over-States Number of AIDS Deaths in S.F.

[This letter has also been snail mailed to Pelosi's S.F. and Washgington offices.]

Honorable Nancy Pelosi
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC
sf.nancy@mail.house.gov

Dear Rep. Pelosi:

In your comments today on the House floor about medical marijuana, you stated the following:

"In my district of San Francisco, we have lost more than 20,000 people to AIDS over the last two decades, and I have seen firsthand the suffering that accompanies this dreadful disease." [1]

While I am pleased you favor allowing doctors to prescribe medicinal pot to AIDS patients and other ill people who need it, I must strongly object to your wildly inaccurate AIDS deaths statistic for San Francisco.

According the latest AIDS surveillance report from the San Francisco Department of Public Health, reflecting data from the start of the epidemic through March 31, 2005, there have unfortunately been 17,661 AIDS deaths recorded. [2]

I'm sure we can both agree that the 17,661 deaths in San Francisco over the past two decades is a tragedy, however, that number is thankfully far less than the more than 20,000 you claimed on the House floor this morning. In fact, your statistic was over-stated by at least 2,339.

I ask that you read the full AIDS surveillance report for your district and then immediately correct the numerical error in your remarks in support of medical marijuana.

A prompt response is requested.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
^^^

Sources:
1. Pelosi's floor remarks
2. S.F. DPH AIDS stats, page 8, table 9.