Pubdate: Sun, 07 Oct 2012
Source: Standard-Times (New Bedford, MA)
Copyright: 2012 South Coast Media Group
Contact:  http://www.southcoasttoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/422

MEDICAL MARIJUANA AN OPTION FOR RESPONSIBLE, INFORMED ADULTS

Polls strongly suggest that Question 3 on the ballot will pass on 
Election Day, Nov. 6, and will legalize medical marijuana in Massachusetts.

Opponents of the question offer concerns about statistics from other 
states where medical marijuana has been legalized, specifically data 
that says 75 percent of youths treated for marijuana addiction 
regularly smoked illicitly obtained medical marijuana.

This suggests that there is a vitally important burden upon the state 
Department of Public Health to instruct children and adults alike 
that marijuana use is not without risk or harm. The law requires 
doctors to tell this to patients considering medical marijuana. But 
the state has a duty to communicate those risks to every resident.

Adults -- patients or not -- need to know the side-effects of 
smoking, and they need to know about impairment due to intoxication.

Children need to know about the real dangers of muddling their minds, 
punishing their lungs and disrupting the development of their brains 
when important, permanent physiological changes are taking place in 
their craniums.

The law is intended to help bring therapeutic relief to thousands of 
Massachusetts residents, and we believe that responsible, informed 
adults should have that option.

For many of the sufferers of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, 
glaucoma and other diseases, the benefits of smoking, eating, 
vaporizing or otherwise ingesting marijuana are significant.

The Standard-Times supports the option of medical marijuana for 
Massachusetts, but we also expect the state to regulate it, continue 
to test it, and share all the facts with its residents to protect 
them from the other side of this double-edged sword.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom