Pubdate: Sun, 12 Aug 2012
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2012 Globe Newspaper Company
Contact: http://services.bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340
Website: http://bostonglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52
Author: Gail R. Kansky

FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER, THIS COULD BE VITAL SOURCE OF RELIEF

Tom Keane ("The 'medical' sham," Op-ed, Aug. 5) seems unaware of
medical marijuana's usefulness for many people with neurological
diseases. Worse, by suggesting that the Food and Drug Administration
"test and approve it," he suggests that the agency - which, according
to news reports, has targeted its own scientists for expressing
dissent on other matters - is more open-minded than it is.

While there may be many problems with individual programs set up by
various states for medical marijuana, medically approved marijuana is
mainly used for patients to subdue their nausea to make it possible
for them to eat. Cancer-related nausea can be subdued enough for a
person to ingest food with just one or two puffs of marijuana.

While Keane is looking at this as a way to get high, and writes that
"feeling poorly could prove to be a lot of fun," those with severe
physical problems are looking only to find some relief in order to
survive. Having a neurological disease is never "fun."

Gail R. Kansky

Needham

The writer is president of the National CFIDS Foundation, which
advocates for people who have chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction
syndrome.
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MAP posted-by: Matt