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

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