Pubdate: Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Source: Times-Tribune, The (Scranton PA)
Copyright: 2014 Townnews.com
Contact:  http://www.thetimes-tribune.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4440
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n238/a03.html

SOOTHING RELIEF

Editor: Regarding your thoughtful March 10 editorial ("Legalize 
medicinal pot"), 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 noncorporate 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 health care decisions.

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

ROBERT SHARPE POLICY ANALYST, COMMON SENSE FOR DRUG POLICY, WASHINGTON, D.C.
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