Pubdate: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 Source: Racine Journal Times, The (WI) Copyright: 2001, The Racine Journal Times Contact: http://www.journaltimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1659 Author: Rob Golub - Journal Times Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) MAN'S MEDICINAL MARIJUANA USE LEADS TO FIRING RACINE - Four years ago, Thermal Transfer Products, 5215 21st St., presented Don Lyons with a plaque for 20 years of faithful service. On Oct. 19, the company presented him with a termination letter. He was terminated for violation of the firm's substance abuse policy. Don Lyons admits he tested positive for marijuana, but he said he is not a recreational user. Lyons said he has carpal tunnel syndrome, a bad back and a painful leg, and for 20 years, marijuana has been able to alleviate his discomfort like nothing else. For the small political engine which seeks to legalize medicinal use of marijuana, Lyons, of the north side of Racine, is fuel for the fire. He may be just the kind of guy they're fighting for. A bill to essentially legalize the use of marijuana as medicine was introduced in Madison Tuesday, by state Reps. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, and Mark Pocan, D-Madison. The bill is based on a Hawaii law which allows patients to use medical marijuana if authorized by their doctor. "Medical marijuana is the law in eight states and Wisconsin should be the ninth. Marijuana has a wide range of therapeutic applications that has proven to help patients, yet we deny that right for them to use it," Boyle said. "This does not make sense." But not everyone feels doctors should be able to write prescriptions for marijuana. Arthur Derse is a doctor, lawyer and associate director of the Bioethics Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin - he's opposed to the idea. Derse is concerned prescribed marijuana will fall into the wrong hands. He also notes that marijuana smoke contains cancer-causing ingredients and that it's hard to measure the dose. A doctor can already prescribe the active ingredient of marijuana - THC - in pill form, but Derse admits that some people get greater benefit from smoking it. He admitted that for a small number of people, smoking marijuana can be the best path to relief. "It's not in the same category as other addictive drugs," he said. "Cocaine - - very bad; marijuana - not so bad." Derse is opposed to any legalization of marijuana, but he admits reasonable people can disagree with him. Some do. The Nurses Association of Wisconsin, for example, supports legalizing the medical use of marijuana. Gina Dennik-Champion, executive director, said her nurses can see when things aren't working. They're on the front lines, caring for patients who need marijuana to cope with real-world problems, she said. "It's interesting that the FDA approved it as a pill form," Dennik-Champion said. "There's methods that work, and if that's what contributes towards overall patient care and health, then we'll support it." Marijuana has proven useful for some terminally ill patients and for patients experiencing nausea during cancer treatments. "A lot of people, they can't take a pill or hold it down," said Pocan. "It allows for some patients a different sort of delivery." Pocan feels his bill has a better shot at success than in the past. He said one hurdle, though, is the opposition of State Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen. "He has a lot of power," Pocan said. So with state law - at least for now - still barring all use of marijuana, Lyons has decided to abandon the drug. He has been out of work since he was fired Oct. 19. After 24 years at Thermal Transfer Products, he knows he needs a new job, and he knows he'll have to pass drug tests. So Lyons said he's avoiding marijuana in favor of a basket full of pills, which does not work as well. The pills, he said, are better than nothing. He is believable, but it's hard to confirm his pain. This complicates the medical marijuana issue. It's hard to say who truly needs it, and who will abuse it. Lyons' story starts with getting his job at Thermal Transfer Products in 1978. Working as a machinist, he developed carpal tunnel on the job, he said. He also tore ligaments in his leg while on vacation. He used marijuana medically for 20 years, and the company never had a problem with him, he said. Representatives of Thermal Transfer Products were contacted for comment, but they did not return phone calls Friday. Lyons feels the company didn't want him anymore, with his injuries, and his use of marijuana was an easy way to get rid of him. After he stumbled in his work area and hurt his wrist in May, he was ordered tested. He said he stumbled because of his bad leg, not because of smoking, but he flunked the drug test and was fired. Lyons has documentation from his test which suggests marijuana can remain in your blood for weeks after use; Lyons said his work was unaffected by his marijuana use. "I never pushed it or sold it," he said. "What do you do when you get drunk?" he asked. "People are killed every day because of alcohol. The only thing I ever got was a parking ticket." He said he uses no other illegal drugs and he doesn't get into any kind of trouble with the law. Lyons said he is just a man in pain. "Marijuana seems to really do something for the lower back," he said. "I would testify to that." - --- MAP posted-by: Alex