Pubdate: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Copyright: 1999 San Jose Mercury News Contact: 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190 Fax: (408) 271-3792 Website: http://www.sjmercury.com/ Author: Lynn Waltz MEDICAL MARIJUANA HELPS AS a medical marijuana user, I'm getting tired of hearing so-called medical experts such as Redwood City police officer David Davinroy slamming medical marijuana as a hoax (Letters, Nov. 14). Davinroy further states that Marinol is a effective drug. It can be effective, but when someone has severe nausea, keeping the pills down is very difficult if not impossible. And there is the high cost -- approximately $10 per pill for those without insurance. Medical marijuana is much more effective at relieving nausea and vomiting than Marinol. The relief happens within minutes compared with up to two hours for Marinol. For many patients, marijuana is the only drug that provides relief. To deny the sick and dying a drug that is safe and effective is the height of cruelty. Davinroy is part of an organization, DARE, that despite spending millions of dollars, has failed in its goal of having a drug-free youth. Of course he's going to parrot the party line that marijuana isn't medicine. DARE's funding is dependent on keeping up the anti-drug hysteria. I find it offensive that they're scapegoating the sick and dying in order to keep the money rolling in for their organization. Medicine should be practiced by doctors, not law enforcement or anti-drug organizations. Lynn Waltz Fremont - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder