Pubdate: Sun, 03 Mar 2013
Source: Norman Transcript (OK)
Copyright: 2013 The Norman Transcript
Contact:  http://www.normantranscript.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/552
Author: Robert Sharpe
Page: A5

MEDICAL MARIJUANA A PRESCRIPTION BEST LEFT TO A DOCTOR'S DISCRETION

Editor, The Transcript:

Regarding your Feb. 27 editorial, while there have been studies 
showing that marijuana can shrink cancerous tumors, medical marijuana 
is essentially a palliative drug.

If a doctor recommends marijuana to a cancer patient undergoing 
chemotherapy and it helps them feel better, then it's working.

In the end, medical marijuana is a quality of life decision best left 
to patients and their doctors. Drug warriors waging war on 
non-corporate drugs contend that organic marijuana is not an 
effective health intervention. Their prescribed intervention for 
medical marijuana patients is handcuffs, jail cells and criminal 
records. This heavy-handed approach suggests that drug warriors 
should not be dictating healthcare decisions.

It's long past time to let doctors decide what is right for their 
patients; sick patients should not be jailed for daring to seek 
relief from marijuana.

ROBERT SHARPE MPA policy analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom