Pubdate: Mon, 05 Apr 2010 Source: Morning Sentinel (Waterville, ME) Copyright: 2010 MaineToday Media, Inc. Contact: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/readerservices/Send_a_Letter_to_the_Editor-MS.html Website: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1474 Author: Charles R. Philpot MEDICAL MARIJUANA BEING TREATED AS ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE While everyone else in the United States is worried about health costs, lawmakers in Maine seek profit at every turn. Through taxes and fees to distribute medicines they increase the cost to Maine residents. Recently, I read in this paper that they plan to set up distribution centers for medical marijuana and, before they will ever open a door, each will have to pay the state $15,000, which will be passed on to consumers. Drug stores are already distributing other medicines, but the lawmakers seem to treat this medicine as more of a crime. Their delaying actions are only to try and find ways to make more money from the sick; I can see no other purpose. Otherwise, the medicine would already be helping those in pain and discomfort of terrible diseases. It's not the drug company adding these extra costs, though I am sure that they are in favor of the lawmakers' actions. The longer delayed, the more money they make. The Maine voters have spoken; we want medicines at reasonable prices without delay, and we want them now. I ask those elected and paid by the voters to carry out our wishes and not go off on their own agenda, not to raise the cost of medicines but lower them; not to serve a political party, but to honorably serve our great state and her people by following our directives and not forcing us to serve theirs. Charles R. Philpot Skowhegan - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake