Pubdate: Mon, 07 Nov 2011 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2011 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Author: Ryan Magnussen Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n644/a09.html?1143 LIFE SAVER Re: "Paranoid on pot," Editorial, Nov. 1. I've been a patient with access since 2007. The program is very good and the marijuana is very effective in pain control, nausea and increasing your appetite. I don't believe there are any real short-term or longterm side-effects of the drug. I have battled chronic pain for 25 years and had to be on horrendous dosages of narcotic pain medication. I have used marijuana during those 25 years and legally since 2007. I have no side-effects or concerns. I have a complicated medical history of ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia and heart problems, and I can guarantee the pot helped. A sudden accident broke my neck two weeks ago. After I was put in a halo vest, my old pain went away. In one day, I came off my narcotics and I can't even smoke a full marijuana cigarette, because my body doesn't want the pain med or the pot anymore. Amazing. Ryan Magnussen Calgary - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.