Pubdate: Tue, 22 May 2012
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2012 The New York Times Company
Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Barbara Swartz
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n281/a11.html

LEGALIZING THE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

To the Editor:

Re "A Judge's Plea for Pot" (Op-Ed, May 17):

I salute Justice Gustin L. Reichbach for his courageous act of civil 
disobedience and his willingness to admit publicly his use of 
marijuana for medical purposes.

Anyone who has personally suffered or has seen a friend or family 
member suffer from debilitating pain that traditional remedies do not 
sufficiently help knows that it does not permit a person to function 
productively. It is hard to engage in the everyday activities, like 
eating, sleeping, playing with children, and enjoying the company of 
friends and family, that make life worthwhile. One's life becomes 
entirely focused on the pain.

The judge's plea to legalize marijuana for medical purposes comes 
from both his head and his heart. Legally, it does not make sense to 
criminalize a treatment when the decision should best be left to the 
discretion of a patient and his doctor.

Why should a person be punished for seeking relief using a drug that 
is known to alleviate suffering, while causing no side effects and no 
harm to others? Why should his friends be exposed to arrest for their 
altruistic response? It seems cruel for a civilized society to 
withhold available help.

I hope that the New York State Legislature acts, as many other states 
have already done, to change the law. No more unnecessary suffering. 
Let's make a person's final days as comfortable as possible.

BARBARA SWARTZ

Brooklyn, May 17, 2012

The writer is a professor at Touro Law School.
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