Pubdate: Fri, 01 Oct 2010
Source: Daily Times-Call, The (Longmont, CO)
Copyright: 2010, The Daily Times-Call
Contact:  http://www.timescall.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1475

TREAT MEDICAL POT LIKE OTHER PHARMACEUTICALS

Colorado officials are considering implementation of a tracking system
to make sure legal purchases of medical marijuana don't end up being
resold on the black market.

Matt Cook, senior director for medical marijuana enforcement for the
Colorado Department of Revenue, is right when he says the danger for
misuse of the system exists.

But right now there are no details of what such a system would look
like or how it would work.

Patients are right when they say they fear intrusion and undue
monitoring of every purchase they make.

Without specifics of how such a system would function, it is difficult
to offer support.

Colorado voters approved the sale and use of marijuana for medical
uses in the state. Therefore, the substance should be regulated like
any other pharmaceutical.

It should be monitored in the sense that prescriptions should be
limited to a certain amount being dispensed at a given time and only
being prescribed by legitimate medical staff.

There are potentials for abuse, but there are such risks with any
drug. Pain medications such as Vicodin and Percocet have been
prescribed and misused for years.

Medical marijuana is indeed different from these substances because
its use is not legal at a federal level. But as long as the residents
of Colorado have approved its use, those who legally possess medical
marijuana shouldn't have to fear their every step is being traced.
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MAP posted-by: Matt