Pubdate: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 Source: Sun Herald (MS) Copyright: 2004, The Sun Herald Contact: http://www.sunherald.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432 Author: Joseph R. Mitchell, M.D. SOLUTION DOESN'T REQUIRE LEGALIZING MARIJUANA It is ridiculous for the courts to have to deal with the stupidity of the pharmaceutical industry and the physicians. Marijuana is illegal. Opium is illegal. We use the opium products daily in the form of morphine, Demerol and codeine. Even though we utilize the products of opium, it is illegal to use opium. Tetra-hydrocannibinol is the active ingredient in marijuana. Dronabinol is the synthetic active ingredient that is available in Marinol. Marinol has been available for years. Marinol is a product of Unimed Pharmaceutical Inc. It is a Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc. company (901 Sawyer Road, Marietta, GA 30062). This drug is available by prescription. Marinol would give the patients their relief without smoking illegal marijuana. It would be like using the opium products without smoking the illegal opium. If the pharmaceutical companies and physicians would just inform the public and write prescriptions, the courts would not be "bogged down" in the ridiculous lawsuits trying to legalize marijuana. JOSEPH R. MITCHELL, M.D. Gulfport - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake