Pubdate: Sun, 21 Jun 2009
Source: Hickory Daily Record (NC)
Copyright: 2009 Hickory Daily Record
Contact:  http://www.hickoryrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1109
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

TIME TO CONSIDER MEDICAL MARIJUANA

At a time when researchers are plunging into the  rainforest in 
search of new medicines, there is a  growing consensus that an herb 
easily cultivated here  may help patients struggling with cancer, 
AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other painful,  difficult-to-manage conditions.

The herb is marijuana.

The North Carolina House Health Committee is  considering a measure 
that, if approved, would make  North Carolina the 15th state to 
legalize its medical  use. We think state lawmakers are right to at 
least  consider a need to expand options for health care and  help 
alleviate patient suffering.

Medical marijuana refers to the use of the cannabis  plant as a 
physician-recommended drug. Its use is  legalized in Canada, Austria, 
the Netherlands, Spain,  Israel, Finland and Portugal and in 14 U.S. 
states --  Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, 
Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode  Island, Vermont 
and Washington.

Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey and  New York are 
also considering medical-marijuana bills.

A growing body of research confirms the medical  benefits of 
marijuana and its active compound for  treating neuropathy, which 
causes extremity pain. The  New England Journal of Medicine has 
editorialized in  favor of marijuana's medical use. In January, 
the  nation's second-largest group of physicians, the  American 
College of Physicians, weighed in, also in  favor.

The other option for helping those with such illnesses  is 
prescription painkillers. But many of today's  prescribed pain 
medications have severe side effects  and reactions. And many of 
today's pain medicines are  strongly addictive.

The main objection to legalizing medical marijuana is  that 
unscrupulous doctors will green light virtually  anyone's use of the 
drug. We agree that there is  potential for abuse. But as Oxycontin 
illustrates, that  can happen with any prescription drug. So 
addiction should not be a reason to refuse patients 
medical  marijuana because legal medical marijuana has not 
been  proved to be physically addictive.

Many western states and a handful in the northeast  protect patients 
whose doctors have decided marijuana  is the best treatment option. 
For the most part, the  laws have worked well, without the worst-case 
scenarios  feared by opponents.

It's time for North Carolina to ensure that its sickest  patients 
have all the treatment options they need, and  if smoking marijuana 
will allow them some relief, we  are all for it.

This is a medical issue, not a war on drugs issue.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom