Pubdate: Mon, 11 Oct 2010
Source: Daily Courier (Prescott, AZ)
Copyright: 2010 Prescott Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.dcourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4036
Author: E. Jay Fleming
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n768/a08.html

CLEAR DIFFERENCE IN ARIZONA'S POT BALLOT

EDITOR:

I would like to respond to the letter, "Prop. 203 is wolf in sheep's
clothing."

Everyone knows that California's medical marijuana law is laughable at
best. The problem is the pot doc's who write recommendations for
almost anything. It's not their fault, it's the law.

In California, doctors can write a medical marijuana recommendation
for patients who suffer from a specific list of conditions, but the
California law also adds a catchall provision that lets doctors
approve marijuana use for "any other illness for which marijuana
provides relief."

Like the California law, Prop. 203 lists specific conditions and
treatments for which doctors can recommend medical marijuana, but
there's an important difference - Prop. 203 puts the responsibility to
add other medical conditions on the Arizona Department of Health
Services, not the physician.

I don't know anyone who suffers one of the debilitating medical
conditions listed in Prop. 203 who doesn't see a doctor on a regular
basis, or at least have a diagnosis from a doctor and medical history.
So if physicians follow the law, we won't have all the 20-year-old
cardholders like in California.

When Arizona voters approve medical marijuana in November, we need to
take it seriously and treat it like medicine, because it is very
serious for patients who rely on medical marijuana for relief from
chronic pain, nausea and seizures.

E. Jay Fleming,

Speaker

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Mohave Valley
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake