Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jul 2005
Source: Rutland Herald (VT)
Copyright: 2005 Rutland Herald
Contact:  http://www.rutlandherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/892
Author: Nancy T. Lynch
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1150/a03.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

WAGING WAR AGAINST SUFFERERS

New York Times columnist John Tierney deserves credit for drawing attention 
to the ever-increasing problem of patients becoming targets in the war on 
drugs ("Punishing the sufferers," July 22). What if it was your mother or 
father, your daughter or son, serving 25 years in jail for taking medicine 
prescribed by the family doctor?

More troublesome than that is while the government is intent on harassing 
and punishing doctors who prescribe narcotic pain relievers to their 
patients, they are simultaneously campaigning against the far safer and 
virtually nonaddictive alternative of medical marijuana.

How can the government justify ignoring abundant scientific evidence that 
demonstrates that marijuana can be an effective and appropriate pain 
reliever -- for certain types of pain -- including the pain experienced by 
multiple sclerosis patients?

Fortunately, several states have taken the compassionate step of allowing 
patients with serious conditions to use small amounts of marijuana to 
alleviate their symptoms and to ease their pain. In Vermont, the law is 
limited to patients with multiple sclerosis, AIDS, and cancer. I hope that 
as the Vermont Legislature examines ways to address the problem of the 
increasing incidents of addiction to prescription medicines, they will act 
to expand the medical marijuana law to include other seriously ill Vermonters.

I would also ask Vermont's congressional delegation to push for more humane 
laws at the federal level.

Sick and dying people should not have to live in fear of police kicking in 
their door and dragging them off to jail for simply trying to relieve some 
of their pain and suffering.

NANCY T. LYNCH

(Vermont Marijuana Policy Project)

Montpelier
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom