Pubdate: Wed, 23 Aug 2006 Source: Seattle Weekly (WA) Copyright: 2006 Seattle Weekly Contact: http://www.seattleweekly.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/410 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1081/a06.html Author: Beth Rice EXPANDING MINDS Thank you so much for Philip Dawdy's well-researched and well-written article ["Club Pot Med," Aug. 16]. Hopefully, the straightforward quotes from Douglas Hiatt and Dawdy's presentation of some positive response toward medical marijuana from the medical community will open some minds and get people thinking about who is impacted by the busts: people who are very ill. Then perhaps they'll ask themselves how society is benefiting by arresting and incarcerating sick people--many or most on their deathbed. What is the point? Should Dawdy ever feel inspired and have the time to look into what incentives the feds offer physicians to push pharmaceuticals and kill medical marijuana recommendations, it could make one helluva story! My mom died of lung cancer, and even though she chose not to treat it, she still lost interest in eating and drinking. I was her caregiver and begged her doctor to recommend marijuana to my mom, as she would not consume it unless her doctor made it legal. Her doctor, a woman in her early 40s--so not from my mom's Reefer Madness-brainwashed generation--replied, "I don't believe in it. It's not medicine." How can a seemingly intelligent young doctor be biased this way? Why would she say this? And why is it that Seattle's medical community "on Pill Hill" had no comment? I believe it's federal incentives--just as they have incentivized Hollywood to produce TV shows and movies that are down on "drugs" (erroneously including marijuana, which is a God-given plant) and use pro-drug war propaganda/lingo. It would be grand to see such an expose in print! Thanks for drawing attention to this issue! Beth Rice Staff Member, Seattle Hempfest - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake