Pubdate: Sat, 05 May 2001 Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI) Copyright: 2001 Madison Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506 Author: Cindy Polizzi Stoughton LEGALIZE MARIJUANA FOR TREATMENT OF PAIN IN TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS In response to recent articles on the legalization of marijuana, I wonder how many of you who are against legalizing marijuana for medical purposes have ever come across a terminally ill person. If you have felt and still feel we shouldn't legalize it, then you have no heart or feelings. I worked for a hospice for a few years, and believe me, if I could have gotten my hands on some marijuana for some of my patients, I would have gladly taken my chances and given it to them. I keep hearing how addictive marijuana is, (which I don't believe). Even if it is, how about all those narcotics they give the terminally ill? Aren't those addicting too? I had a patient who was on morphine, which is addictive, and which by the way, didn't touch his pain unless we wanted to put him in a coma. Who cares if they do prove it to be addictive, if you have the chance to let someone die a comfortable death? For you doctors who are against legalizing a drug that you know could help your patients die comfortably and in a dignified way, you should rethink your career choice. Spend an entire day with a person with bone cancer, who is begging for help. What is it going to hurt by trying to make that person more comfortable with a drug that does less damage and has fewer side effects than the narcotics we're giving? Cindy Polizzi Stoughton - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom