Pubdate: Thu, 02 Oct 2014
Source: Tampa Bay Times (FL)
Copyright: 2014 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.tampabay.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Note: Named the St. Petersburg Times from 1884-2011.
Author: Vanessa Buck
Page: A8

CHARLOTTE'S WEB NOT ENOUGH

Amendment 2

Many opponents of Amendment 2 are quick to mention the so-called 
Charlotte's Web law, passed as the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act 
of 2014. As comprehensive as this may sound, approximately 98 percent 
of patients who could benefit from therapeutic marijuana use are left 
without compassion and the legal right to ease their pain and suffering.

Charlotte's Web is a specific strain of marijuana that was developed 
to treat seizures and muscle spasms. It contains 0.8 percent (or 
less) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and more than 10 percent 
cannabidiol. THC is one of 85 cannabinoids found in marijuana, and 
like all cannabinoids, has many useful medicinal properties. THC has 
been shown in studies to help with nausea associated with 
chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients and drug therapies among 
AIDS patients; nerve pain associated with amputations and with 
diseases such as fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis; and 
posttraumatic stress disorder among veterans. THC is responsible for 
marijuana's psychoactive properties; however, patients seeking relief 
for these debilitating diseases are not after a 'high' and often 
don't consume enough marijuana to 'get high.' Much like antibiotics, 
different strains of marijuana contain properties that have been 
found to treat specific ailments. Opponents of Amendment 2 want to 
scare voters by saying these 'other conditions' leave the door open 
for rampant marijuana abuse, but the science behind this term simply 
means that marijuana is the most effective treatment for a wide 
variety of diseases. A yes vote on Amendment 2 would protect doctors 
and patients in ways that the Charlotte's Web law currently falls 
short, as the language in that law does not protect against federal 
prosecution.

Vanessa Buck, Tampa
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom