Pubdate: Thu, 11 Sep 2014
Source: Herald, The (Everett, WA)
Copyright: 2014 The Daily Herald Co.
Contact:  http://www.heraldnet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/190
Author: Kal Leichtman
Page: A11

RECONCILE USE WITH MEDICARE

I have also sent this letter to Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell 
and Rep. Rick Larsen.

My 91-year-old wife, Alice, has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, 
Parkinson's, compressed and cracked vertebrae bones. She has been 
suffering with pain for years. She is in an Everett rehab facility 
having sleepless and pain-filled nights. Powerful medication has had 
little or no effect to relieve her pain.

I discussed with the medical officials in this facility of trying to 
use medical marijuana ointment to see if that would help give Alice 
some temporary relief. Even our state has legitimized the use of 
medical marijuana. I was told that federal regulations prohibit the 
use of medical marijuana. The facility depends on federal funding for 
Medicare and other federal funding. That funding could be stopped and 
the doctor and nurses could lose their licenses.

I am asking our federal legislators to please initiate legislative 
efforts to get federal relaxation for the use of medical marijuana in 
chronic pain cases and for now to try to get a waiver to allow the 
use of medical marijuana in my wife's severe problem.

Kal Leichtman

Everett
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