Pubdate: Mon, 12 Aug 2013
Source: Quad-City Times (IA)
Copyright: 2013 Quad-City Times
Contact: http://www.qctimes.com/app/pages/contact/new/?contact=letters
Website: http://qctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/857
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n381/a07.html

MANAGE MEDICAL MARIJUANA WITH DOCS, NOT COPS

Regarding your editorial ("Illinois stumbles into medical marijuana," 
Aug. 5), while there have been studies showing that marijuana can 
shrink cancerous tumors, medical marijuana is essentially a 
palliative drug. If a doctor recommends marijuana to a cancer patient 
undergoing chemotherapy and it helps them feel better, then it's 
working. In the end, medical marijuana is a quality-of-life decision 
best left to patients and their doctors.

Drug warriors waging war on non-corporate drugs contend that organic 
marijuana is not an effective health intervention. Their prescribed 
intervention for medical marijuana patients is handcuffs, jail cells 
and criminal records. This heavy-handed approach suggests that drug 
warriors should not be dictating healthcare decisions. It's long past 
time to let doctors decide what is right for their patients; sick 
patients should not be jailed for daring to seek relief from marijuana.

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C*.*
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