Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 Source: Boston Herald (MA) Copyright: 2014 The Boston Herald, Inc Contact: http://news.bostonherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53 Note: Prints only very short LTEs. Author: Andy Gaus Page: 18 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n500/a08.html IN PRAISE OF POT Cannabis has been used as a medicine since ancient times - long before the Herald began publishing. And exciting research continues apace, including possible treatments for those suffering from certain cancers. Yet a Herald editorial can only speak of "medical" marijuana, instead of simply leaving out the quote marks ("Congress goes to pot," June 9). And the Herald sarcastically calls the patients seeking marijuana "poor souls whose extreme medical conditions can only be treated with a toke or two." Why not just say that there are patients for whom cannabis in some form is the best treatment? No one is "pushing the notion that marijuana is a cure-all for every ailment," as the Herald claims. Some of us are asking the paper to stop sneering at those patients - many dealing with severe chronic pain - who find that marijuana is a valuable medicine that gives them very real relief from very real medical problems. - - Andy Gaus, Boston - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom