Pubdate: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 Source: Baltimore Sun (MD) Copyright: 2004 The Baltimore Sun, a Times Mirror Newspaper. Contact: http://www.baltimoresun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37 Author: Elaine Bind Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Note: All were titled Why deny relief to people in pain? Individual titles by MAPinc MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGALIZED FOR MEDICINAL USE Marijuana should be legalized for medicinal use because it provides many suffering patients relief that they do not get from other medications. Granted, there are serious possible side effects, including dependency and impairment of memory, concentration and motor coordination. However, many legally prescribed sedatives, painkillers, cough suppressants and tranquilizers have similar and other serious and undesirable effects. If unintended harmful effects are not reason enough to prohibit the use of codeine, morphine and other beneficial drugs, why should similar effects be reason to prohibit marijuana? Perhaps it is because marijuana is also used as a recreational drug, and many people associate its use with lifestyles that do not conform to traditionally acceptable norms. But marijuana should not be denied to patients who need it just because some use it for recreation. It is inhumane to allow a patient to suffer when there is an available drug that can alleviate his or her symptoms. Whether the potential harm of a drug outweighs the benefits should not be determined by the government. That decision is best left to physician and patient. Elaine Bind, Pikesville - --- MAP posted-by: Derek