Pubdate: Tue, 17 Jan 2006
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2006 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Author: Pam Morris
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MARIJUANA RAIDS HARM PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING

Why do we bother to vote? The federal government will do what it 
pleases regardless of how individual states vote. The police raid on 
the medical marijuana dispensary in Tustin made me sick and angry 
["Police hit medical pot store," Local, Jan. 14].

As a retired registered nurse, working in hospital settings for 40 
years, I have seen countless people suffer with illnesses that rob 
them of the things healthy people take for granted. They have 
unyielding nausea, the inability to enjoy a simple meal, resultant 
weight loss and intractable pain. These are only a few things 
chronically ill people experience that could be helped a little by 
marijuana. I have yet to see an approved medication work to control 
nausea. I watched my own mother die a long slow death from cancer 
with all of the symptoms I've mentioned and more.

Californians voted almost 10 years ago to approve medical marijuana, 
perhaps because we have empathy for people who are suffering, yet the 
feds want to interfere and use their iron fists to stop anyone who 
tries to help. Don't the Tustin police have better things to worry 
about than taking up their time for five months of surveillance and 
posing as sick people with phony doctors' verifications to raid the 
dispensary and confiscate marijuana?

Did they really think they were protecting the citizens of Tustin and 
Orange County? What a sham.

Our government reminds me of Big Brother, always in the business of 
hurting little people who are not harming anyone.

Pam Morris

Santa Ana
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom