Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 2010
Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY)
Copyright: 2010 Lee Enterprises
Contact:  http://www.trib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/765
Author: Leroy Casterline

SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Editor:

I found your recent piece on medical marijuana to be  interesting and
timely ("Pot for people who are sick,"  by Ray Crow, Forum/Feb. 7).

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  marijuana is a
schedule 1 drug, meaning that it has "no  accepted medical use." Not
everyone agrees.

In a recent position paper, the American College of  Physicians
acknowledged that "indications for some  conditions ... have been well
documented." The Leukemia  & Lymphoma Society "supports legislation to
remove  criminal and civil sanctions for the doctor-advised  medical
use of marijuana."

In 2008, the American Nurses Association issued a  position statement
in support of patients' safe access  to therapeutic marijuana. Even
the staid American  Medical Association has called for a review of
marijuana's status as a schedule 1 drug.

There has long been dissent within the DEA itself  regarding the
medical efficacy of marijuana. As far  back as 1988, the DEA's own
Administrative Law Judge  Francis L. Young ruled that marijuana be
rescheduled,  stating, "The evidence in this record clearly shows
that marijuana has been accepted as capable of  relieving the distress
of great numbers of very ill  people, and doing so with safety under
medical  supervision."

It's time for the people of Wyoming to insist that we  join our
neighbors to the north and south, and the  dozen other states who have
made the sensible decision  to support the medical use of marijuana.

LEROY CASTERLINE, Casper 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D