Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jul 2009 Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ) Copyright: 2009 Asbury Park Press Contact: http://www.app.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26 Author: Jim Miller MEDICAL MARIJUANA A U.S. "RIGHT" At first I felt badly about having to work on the Fourth of July. I need money pretty badly and I had an offer to disassemble a set of stairs to an upper deck for a fair price. I also did it in part because I know the Multiple Sclerosis patient who lives at that house couldn't do it by himself, although he could physically help me do it. Shortly after noon he had to take a break to take some medicine, as his muscles were becoming increasingly stiff and pain was creeping into the equation. Having lost my wife after her 32-year battle with MS, I am sensitive to the importance of the medicine my friend was about to take. After only a few puffs of marijuana he was ready to resume our chores. He was alert and without stiffness or pain. We finished the job while talking about the Declaration of Independence and the irony of how it obviously covered medical marijuana under the "big three" that everybody can quote - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. My friend certainly wouldn't have had to hide from Thomas Jefferson. All three can be applied to medical marijuana. So, there I was, bearing witness to someone not giving in to oppression on Independence Day. I didn't feel bad anymore about not being able to celebrate the birth of our nation because I had to work. I was celebrating it by witnessing the American spirit that existed 233 years ago. Best of all, according to that revered document, it is God who gave my friend the right to do what he had to do. It was a good day indeed. Jim Miller TOMS RIVER - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr