Pubdate: Wed, 09 Feb 2005
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2005 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Gary Storck
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

LEGAL DRUGS ARE ABUSED TOO

Medical marijuana opponents often cite the possibility that legalized 
marijuana could be diverted and abused, but when it comes to highly 
addictive narcotics like OxyContin, the same concerns apparently do not apply.

In a story on Friday, "Alleged Child Abuser Faces Drug Charges," a woman 
was able to secure prescriptions for large quantities of a highly addictive 
schedule 2 narcotic and resell them at a huge profit. This is not an 
isolated incident; similar stories have been reported nationwide. One has 
to wonder why the possibility of diversion is used to deny legal access to 
cannabis, not OxyContin. Both substances, when used as directed by a 
health-care professional, can help patients regain some control over their 
lives and improve its quality. Cannabis, can help patients use less 
medication or eliminate those drugs altogether.

If society can tolerate the diversion of legal controlled substances like 
OxyContin, we should be able to tolerate patients having legal access to 
medical cannabis, a gentle herbal therapy with thousands of years of safe 
use by humans.

Gary Storck

Madison 
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MAP posted-by: Beth