Pubdate: Tue, 25 Feb 1997
Source: Oregonian (OR)
Author: Arthur Livermore

Is Charles Krauthammer a physician?  In his column about medical uses of
marijuana (Feb. 10), he claims "Its medical effects for these conditions
(migraines, insomnia, stress) are nil".  Where is his proof?  His opinion
doesn't matter.  If a patient's suffering is relieved by marijuana, that
fact is what counts.

Prohibition is the reason that kids have access to pot, cocaine, LSD and
heroin.  Un-controlled distribution of these drugs is unacceptable.
Krauthammer wants us to be honest about marijuana.  I do too.  Marijuana is
medicine.  Dr. Jerome P. Kassirer made this clear in his editorial in the
New England Journal of Medicine.

One of the chemicals in marijuana (tetra-hydrocannabinol) is prescribed by
doctors.  The dronabinol pill doesn't always work as well as marijuana.  I
say let physicians choose the best medicine for their patients.

Arthur Livermore
Arch Cape