Pubdate: Tue, 1 Sep 2009
Source: Huffington Post (US Web)
Copyright: 2009 HuffingtonPost com, Inc.
Website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4517
Author: Anthony Papa
Note: Anthony Papa is the author of 15 To Life and a communications 
specialist for Drug Policy Alliance.

BLIND, DIABETIC, DOUBLE-AMPUTEE DIES AFTER BEING EVICTED FOR MEDICAL 
MARIJUANA USE

When we talk about who has the best slum landlord stories we now have 
to mention this tragic case.

Marilyn Holsten was 49 years old and in frail health, suffering from 
diabetes. She'd had both legs amputated, was almost blind, and 
received dialysis six hours a day. She lived for eight years at 
Anavets Senior Citizens Housing Society building at 951 8th Ave E, 
Vancouver Canada.

Marilyn's landlord did not like the smell of marijuana, so he gave 
her an eviction notice. She became very distraught and as a result 
her health deteriorated rapidly. Eventually, she died of a heart 
attack 
(http://www.theprovince.com/Heart+attack+ended+Marilyn+life+bureaucracy+ 
killed/1938208/story.html) this August. Her sister, Moira O'Neil, 
said Marilyn's last days on Earth were a living hell.

To cope with her dreadful pain, Marilyn used marijuana. Her only 
mistake was that she didn't have the authorization to possess pot. 
She said that she was overwhelmed by the paperwork to get permission 
from the government. But she did have a letter from her doctor, Dr. 
Fraser Norrie, stating that he recommended marijuana use as part of 
her medical treatment. Dr. Norrie asked Marilyn's landlord to accept 
her need to smoke marijuana. In response, Mary McLeod, the 
administrator of Anavets, said, "While your doctor supports your 
decision to use marijuana, he has not prescribed it for medicinal 
purposes," and that "Marijuana use is still against the law and ... 
as part of your tenancy agreement, you agreed you would not 
participate in illegal activities."

Numerous organizations support allowing patients legal access to 
medical marijuana, including the AIDS Action Council, American Bar 
Association, American Public Health Association, California Medical 
Association, National Association of Attorneys General, and several 
state nurses associations. Public opinion also supports ending the 
prohibition of medical marijuana. According to a Gallup poll, 73% of 
Americans are in favor of "making marijuana legally available for 
doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering."

Marijuana is an indispensable medicine that helps mitigate chronic 
pain and stimulates appetite. Patients suffering from cancer, AIDS 
and other forms of disease greatly benefit from access to marijuana. 
While the debate over marijuana use for medical purposes has come a 
long way over the past decade, even in places with medical marijuana 
laws patients still often face life-threatening discrimination.

A protest memorial is planned on September 2nd in front of the 
apartment building Marilyn lived in 
(http://whyprohibition.ca/blogs/jacob-hunter/protest-memorial-marilyn-ho 
lsten) . Hopefully the death of Marilyn Holsten will not be in vain 
and can be used to help others legitimize the use of marijuana for 
medical purposes.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake