Pubdate: Tue, 03 May 2016
Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA)
Copyright: 2016 The Press Democrat
Contact:  http://www.pressdemocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348
Author: Sheila Morrissey

SAFE MEDICINES

EDITOR: Wednesday's article about marijuana and opioid abuse 
certainly shows how far our society has come with regard to the use 
of marijuana for medical reasons ("Could pot help treat opioid 
addiction?). As a retired public health nurse, my concern is readers 
should use their critical thinking skills to notice that the article 
sometimes uses the phrase "medical cannabis" interchangeably with "marijuana."

Marijuana/cannabis is a name for a plant that, like other plants, can 
be broken down into many different compounds. That's Chemistry 101. 
Current medical research into success helping folks with chronic 
pain, seizures, etc. points to a chemical compound that isn't the 
psychotropic one with the properties or "high" that many folks use 
this plant for.

I am in support of more research that may find wonderful help for 
people who need relief with such things as moderate to severe and 
chronic pain and/or seizures. But we must as a society demand that 
this plant product be tested and researched by professionals, so, 
just as we know when we go to the pharmacy to buy needed antibiotics 
prescribed by a medical professional, we know that those compounds 
are safe and all side effects have been made clear.

SHEILA MORRISSEY

Santa Rosa
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom