Pubdate: Mon, 04 Jun 2001
Source: Daily Gazette (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The Gazette Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.dailygazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/105
Author: Christian Pantuosco Jr.

COURT RULED WRONG ON MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

I am appalled by the recent Supreme Court decision on the medicinal uses of 
marijuana.

Granted, smoking marijuana is not going to cure AIDS or cancer, but it does 
help the patients. Several articles I've read and debates I've watched on 
the subject indicate that marijuana helps numb the patients' pain and get 
their mind off their illness.

The Supreme Court states that it is not legal under federal law to allow 
such forms of medicine. Well, I say bend the rules a little for the 
terminally ill.

I'm not saying that they should be able to rob a bank or kill a person, but 
I do think that the terminally ill should live the remainder of their lives 
pain-free and happy.

Furthermore, not every person with cancer or AIDS is going to smoke pot - 
only the ones who want to will. The ones who do should be able to get their 
drugs without worrying about being arrested or paying fines. Sick people do 
not have the time to waste sitting in a cell and they have better things to 
spend their money on than fines.

Let the terminally ill freely smoke marijuana and put their mind at ease 
while they are still alive.

CHRISTIAN PANTUOSCO Jr.
Schenectady
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