Pubdate: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 Source: Detroit Free Press (MI) Copyright: 2008 Detroit Free Press Contact: http://www.freep.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/125 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08.n908.a04.html Author: Dale Parus INSUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT The language of the proposal puts the burden on patients to grow their own medicine -- up to 12 plants for home use. This is irresponsible and forces patients to act as their own unlicensed pharmacist. All other potent pain medications are regulated by the government, appropriately tested by the pharmaceutical industry, and cannot be made at home. Why this exception? The language of this proposal is wrongheaded and would not pass in the Legislature for good reason, as the changes it proposes would lack the proper oversight of government agencies. As we have seen recently, the lack of oversight in key areas that should have been under the purview of the government has had grim consequences in our economy and other sectors. I agree that we should show compassion to patients in pain, but this is not an honest proposal. A more prudent proposal would, if passed, direct the state to allow the distribution of marijuana to qualified patients from a qualified pharmacological group rather than make the patients grow what is now a controlled substance. Dale Parus New Baltimore - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake