Pubdate: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2014 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82 Author: James E. Gierach MAKE MEDICAL MARIJUANA READILY AVAILABLE You would think that medical marijuana was contagious to hear Chicago aldermen talk about an appropriate zoning district for the location of medicinal pot dispensaries (News, July 30). Instead of thinking so hard about where medical marijuana should not be dispensed, aldermen should swallow hard, forget the foolish historic prohibition of the substance they formerly indulged in exchange for the reward of constituent votes cut from the fabric of fear and instead allow medical marijuana to be sold anywhere that other medicines can be sold. Sick people do not benefit by distancing medicinal outlets. Marijuana is a substance that helps people suffering from cancer, chemotherapy and other serious illnesses. God and Mother Nature allow marijuana to grow in just about any ditch, field and neighborhood, and Chicago drug cartels and street-gang dispensers already make sure the relatively benign substance is readily available in most parks and on most school grounds. - -- James E. Gierach, Palos Park - --- MAP posted-by: Matt