Pubdate: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 Source: Great Falls Tribune (MT) Copyright: 2004 Great Falls Tribune Contact: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/customerservice/contactus.html Website: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2502 Author: Larry Allen Cited: Initiative 148 ( www.montanacares.org/ ) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) WRONG MESSAGE It is a sad beginning for Montana. Now that "medicinal" marijuana is about to be legal, legitimate terminal patients and those with mysterious aches and pains will seek out doctors that are willing to write prescriptions for them. As a professional who for more than 12 years fought drug dealers and locked up users in the hopes that they would quit cold turkey, I am very disheartened to see this state legalize them. I can sympathize with terminally ill people who want marijuana to ease their pain even though marinol is already on the market. I have seen legal drugs prescribed and then abused. I have seen people with "medicinal" marijuana claiming they have injuries but are returning from hiking trips as if there was nothing wrong with them. I have seen doctors who issue prescriptions for cash or hard drugs, and this will likely be done here. Legalizing marijuana simply opened up Pandora's box for us in this state. At a time when we are near the top for per capita drunk driving accidents and methamphetamine production, the wrong message has been sent. Larry Allen, Shelby - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake