Pubdate: Sun, 23 Jun 2002
Source: Herald, The (WA)
Copyright: 2002 The Daily Herald Co.
Contact:  http://www.heraldnet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/190
Author: Darral Good
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Doctors Should Be The Ones To Decide

I believe that doctors and patients should make the decisions that will 
affect the patients' quality and length of life, not politicians. The 
American people have stood up for this idea by passing medical marijuana 
initiatives in eight states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, 
Washington, Oregon and Nevada.

For patients who face cancer chemotherapy or daily AIDS-related drug 
cocktails, smoked marijuana can help ease pain and nausea and increase the 
appetite, making it possible for some who would otherwise drop out of 
treatment to continue. However, the federal government has threatened to 
arrest doctors and patients over medical marijuana, making this potentially 
life-saving therapy available only to those who are willing to risk being 
arrested and put in jail.

It is time the federal government allowed doctors and patients to make the 
important decisions about treatment with medical marijuana. A bill 
introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Barney Frank, HR 2592, would do just 
that by acknowledging marijuana's medical uses and removing the federal 
prohibition against prescribing marijuana to the seriously ill.

I implore people who love freedom to contact their members of Congress to 
sign on to the bill.

DARRAL GOOD

Lynnwood
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