Pubdate: Sun, 19 May 2013 Source: State Journal-Register (IL) Copyright: 2013 The State Journal-Register Contact: http://service.sj-r.com/forms/letters.asp Website: http://www.sj-r.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/425 Author: Kirk W. Boyenga OPPOSES SO-CALLED MEDICAL MARIJUANA The continued push to legalize "medical" marijuana is clear evidence of how our short-sighted politicians work. This has nothing to do with health care and everything to do with money in someone's pockets. If it had something to do with health care, the medical community would be screaming and lobbying for it. The reality is that this legislation, if approved, will open Pandora's Box and release far more problems with drugs than we have today. People will develop the mindset that if they are in any kind of pain or discomfort that they need to be able to use marijuana. Doctors will receive increasing pressure to prescribe it and, of course, it will work, because it is a strong mood altering drug. Why else do people use drugs? To make the pain of life go away. Thus, the result of this bill will be an ever-decreasing tolerance to any type of pain and the ever-growing demand to be taken care of by our increasingly bankrupt social welfare system. Yes, life does include pain, sometime severe pain. There are people trained and qualified to give aid when it is needed. In addition, anyone who carries the label of Christian is obligated to do what they can to help others. So, let's put the responsibility where it belongs and not in the hands of legislators. Kirk W. Boyenga Springfield - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom