Pubdate: Fri, 30 Oct 2009
Source: Morning Sentinel (Waterville, ME)
Copyright: 2009 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc
Contact: 
http://centralmaine.mainetoday.com/readerservices/lettertotheeditor.html
Website: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1474
Author: Dean DeWitt

MARIJUANA SHOULD BE PERSONAL HEALTH-CARE CHOICE

It's been 10 years since medical marijuana legislation  passed, but
patients have difficulty with access to  supply their marijuana.
Difficulty getting marijuana  prescriptions by medical-pharmaceutical
interests  continues.

Law enforcement target these people, hoping to inflict  some legal
damage.

I'm telling you these patients suffer enough. As a  registered nurse,
I could tell positive stories of  marijuana therapy and persons who
could benefit from  medicinal use. It's sad when individuals restrict
their  health decisions based on politics, regulation, fear  and
public opinion.

If you want to talk about health concerns, let's be  concerned with
pharmaceuticals. Have you heard the  stories about Thalidomide, Vioxx,
Avandia?

Even Tylenol kills people. Pharmaceutical products and  profits are
problems that need control and regulation.  But marijuana isn't part
of that picture.

Marijuana doesn't kill people, never has. Studies show  there is no
known lethal dose. It's all political  fear-mongering at the expense
of public health.

Medical and pharmaceutical interests have control (and  money) they
don't want to lose. Does anyone notice the  absurd cost of
pharmaceuticals?

Marijuana should be a personal health-care choice,  easily accessible,
low cost and even tax-free.

Yes, passing Question 5 will help suffering patients by  establishing
a means to medicinal marijuana. It isn't  perfect, in fact I don't
like the bigger government  part, but it's better than where we are
now.

Please realize that it's not about us. It's about those  in pain,
vomiting, having seizures or just wasting  away. None of us would
choose to walk in their shoes  but we shouldn't overlook their
difficulties. First,  let them make their own health-care decisions
and don't  treat them like criminals.

It's only criminal that we don't help them. Put some of  your heart in
your vote. Please vote "yes" on Question  5.

Dean DeWitt

China Village 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D