Pubdate: Tue, 31 Dec 2002
Source: Gambit Weekly (LA)
Copyright: 2002, Gambit Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/current/gw_index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2406
Author: Christopher Largen
Referecned: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n2090/a06.html

THE MIRACLE OF MARIJUANA
I want to thank you for your recent editorial highlighting the necessity of 
medical marijuana policy reform ("Legalize Medical Marijuana," Nov. 12).

My best friend and co-author George McMahon is one of only six patients in 
the entire United States who receives medical marijuana from the federal 
government. He has smoked 10 joints a day for 12 years to treat the pain, 
spasms and nausea associated with a rare genetic condition called Nail 
Patella Syndrome. Prior to being admitted to the federal marijuana program, 
George had been through 19 major surgeries and was taking 17 pharmaceutical 
substances on a daily basis.

Since smoking the federal marijuana, he has not had one surgery or 
hospitalization, and he has stopped taking all pharmaceuticals. Cannabis 
literally saved his life. George's story will be chronicled in our book, 
The Green Path: A Journey to Uncle Sam's Marijuana Garden due for release 
this May.

Thanks again for speaking out on behalf of sick and dying
people.

- --Christopher Largen
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MAP posted-by: Alex