Pubdate: Fri 19 Feb 1999 Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR) Contact: http://www.ardemgaz.com/ Copyright: 1999, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Author: Angelia Sparrow - West Memphis HEMP'S ROLE AS MEDICINE After the Feb. 2 John R. Starr column on legalizing medicinal marijuana, I felt obliged to point the reading public to a book called "Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do: The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in Our Free Country" by Peter McWilliams. Until 1937, hemp cultivation was not only acceptable, but encouraged. In Colonial times, one could be fined for failing to grow the proper amount of it. Albeit most of this was for use in rope and textiles, but it still played an important role in medicine. No less a personage than Queen Victoria had it prescribed to her. In addition to analgesic and euphoric properties, cannabis can also help combat the lack of appetite (wasting) that afflicts AIDS patients and leaves them open to opportunistic germs. - --- MAP posted-by: Rich O'Grady