Pubdate: Sat, 16 Feb 2008
Source: Galesburg Register-Mail (IL)
Copyright: 2008 Galesburg Register-Mail
Contact: http://www.register-mail.com/news/letters/index.html
Website: http://www.galesburg.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3864
Author: John Walker
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n154/a03.html

LEGAL MARIJUANA USE CLEARLY DEFINED

To claim that there is a "thin line" between  therapeutic use and
misuse of a drug is misleading  ("Dangers, costs of legalizing
marijuana too great,"  Feb. 8). The fact is, there are very clear
lines that  govern drug use -- they are called controlled substance
laws.

If a medicine is used according to a qualified  physician's
recommendation and under her care, then  it's therapeutic. If it
isn't, then it's misuse.

This is exactly what a medical marijuana bill would do  for Illinois
- -- allow the state to set the rules for  and oversee a medical
marijuana program. Patients with  serious, debilitating conditions
would be registered  with the state, and possession and plant limits
would  be clearly defined. I believe this is the definition of
"proactive monitoring."

Rational people know that all drugs can be abused.  However, the
difference between marijuana and your  average narcotic prescription
painkiller is that  dependence, withdrawal and tolerance are generally
much  lower with marijuana.

It's good that Illinoisans are finally having a serious  discussion
about medical marijuana, but let's not  forget what's really at stake
here: ensuring that  suffering patients -- and nobody else -- have
safe  access to their doctor-recommended medicine without  fear of
arrest.

John Walker,

director of the  Illinois Compassion Action Network,

Springfield
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MAP posted-by: Derek