Pubdate: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 Source: News-Gazette, The (Champaign, IL) Copyright: 2014 The News-Gazette Contact: http://www.news-gazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1272 Author: Dan Linn MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS JUST WHAT DOC ORDERED As executive director of the Illinois Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, I object to letter writer Ed Wilhite's comment that medical cannabis is a non-issue for most people. The prevalence for cancer rates in this country make medical cannabis an issue for just about everyone because many people know someone with cancer or will get cancer themselves someday. Cannabis can be very helpful for people undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and anyone who has witnessed what those treatments do will likely agree that any ease of suffering greatly improves a patient's quality of life. While the letter writer might think that medical cannabis is a fringe issue only important to hippies, the truth is that many people are not getting the relief they need from conventional medicines and treatments. For them, medical cannabis is a safe and natural alternative. DAN LINN Springfield - --- MAP posted-by: Matt