Pubdate: Wed, 08 Oct 2014
Source: Bradenton Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2014 Bradenton Herald
Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/submit-letter/
Website: http://www.bradenton.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58
Author: Paul Sloan
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n791/a01.html

PUB LTE: MANATEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S COMMENTARY AGAINST MEDICAL 
MARIJUANA LACKS SOLID FOUNDATION

Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube states that medical marijuana could
be used to treat anorexia, migraines, muscle spasms, neck pain, back
pain, menstrual cramps, throat pain, trouble sleeping and problems
eating, which he insinuates are not debilitating.

Sheriff Steube seems to be offering a medical opinion, yet he is not a
doctor and has little if any medical knowledge. The fact is each of
those conditions could be debilitating and only a physician and not
the sheriff can make that diagnosis.

The sheriff states that the Florida Medical Association (FMA),
representing 20,000 physicians, does not support it but what about the
other 44,000 Florida physicians who are not part of the FMA?

A 2013 New England Journal of Medicine survey found that nearly
8-in-10 doctors approved the use of medical marijuana.

The sheriff states without any noted source that only 10 percent of
medical marijuana is going to those with "debilitating" illness but
state facts contradict him.

Colorado's state website discloses the reasons for use: 3 percent,
cancer; 1 percent, HIV/AIDS; 1 percent, glaucoma; 1 percent, Cachexia;
13 percent, muscle spasms; 2 percent, seizures; 94 percent, severe
pain; 10 percent, severe nausea. The numbers do not add up to 100
percent, as some patients report using medical marijuana for more than
one medical condition.

The CDC/California study indicates 92 percent received healing or some
measure of relief from chronic pain, nausea, insomnia, and anxiety.

The sheriff's editorial in Sunday's Herald clearly indicates why law
enforcement needs to stay out of the doctor's office and why a
constitutional amendment is the proper way to keep them out.

My hope is that, when voting, Floridians will remember Dr. Albert
Schweitzer's words: "Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even
death itself."

P.S., sheriff, pain pill OD's are 20 percent lower in states with
medical marijuana.

Paul Sloan

Bradenton
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MAP posted-by: Richard