Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jan 2014
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chris Nicodemus
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Chris Nicodemus

MEDICAL POT ABUSE CALLS FOR CORRECTION

In 1978, as I was just beginning a career as a police officer in San
Diego, my mother, who raised five kids and took care of my father who
had severe job-related back injury and could not work, contracted
melanoma cancer in her chest. The strong woman who never drank
alcohol, smoked or uttered a profanity in her life could not overcome
the deadly curse of cancer.

She went through every treatment known but was losing the battle as we
sadly watched her shrivel up into a skin-covered skeleton. Nothing,
even massive doses of medications, could ease her pain. My family
would have done anything to help her and if we knew then that
marijuana would have helped ease her pain, we would have done just
about anything to get her some. After suffering with the disease for
too many months, she passed away. The saddest day of my life.

I am not a hater of marijuana because I believe it has some medical
value, but the misuse and abuse is also responsible for misery and
death to many mainly from robberies, trafficking, drug gangs, driving
under the influence traffic collisions and street crimes.

The illegitimate use and abuse is what causes the rift in our society
and necessitates the intervention of our elected leaders, who on Jan.
14 stood up for those who have been and continue to be endangered by
illegal pot growers. My thanks and kudos to our Board of
Supervisors.

Referendum be damned.

- - Chris Nicodemus, Chico 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D