cannabisnews.com: Illness Victims Need Medicinal Marijuana 





Illness Victims Need Medicinal Marijuana 
Posted by FoM on February 14, 2000 at 20:37:40 PT
Staff Editorial, Daily Collegian P.S.U.
Source: U-WIRE
Patients who are suffering from life-threatening diseases should be allowed a prescription for medicine that will help alleviate their pain, even if it comes in the form of marijuana. Last month in Maryland, Donald Murphy (R-Catonsville) introduced a bill in the Maryland House of Delegates that would allow the use of medical marijuana with a doctor's approval. 
Pennsylvania and Maryland are two states that have never initiated laws such as these, and it is encouraging to see that Murphy introduced this bill for consideration. Pennsylvania needs to look as its neighbor and follow suit with similar legislation. According to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that educates about marijuana issues, there are 24 states that have medical marijuana laws and about 10 others that have had laws, but since have been expired or repealed. Marijuana used for medical purposes is an effective painkiller for patients suffering from diseases such as multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, cancer and AIDS. The drug also helps to increase appetite, ease nausea and alleviate muscle spasms. Highly respected medical organizations such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Medical Association have stated their support of medical marijuana in the past. Marijuana would be used for medical reasons and would be regulated like any other prescription medicine, such as Demerol or Perkaset, that necessitate a doctor's approval. Not just anyone would be allowed to receive marijuana. Currently, patients in Maryland and around the country who are using medicinal marijuana because they have been given a physician's approval are being arrested and fined. Their persecution needs to stop, and states, such as Pennsylvania, need to start developing legislation that helps patients receive the care and medicine that they deserve to help stop their pain. Medical marijuana is proven useful for certain diseases, and patients should be given the right to use it depite the warnings of alarmists who fear the proliferation of the drug. Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes would not send the wrong message to children because it would be used only to help already sick patients. And enacting legislation does not open the gates to legalizing marijuana all together; the drug would be heavily regulated to try to prevent any spreading to people who would use it for nonmedical reasons. Denying suffering patients access to a helpful drug because of unfounded fear of drug abuse seems ridiculous. Pennsylvania is in the minority of states that have never passed medical marijuana laws. As patients suffer, it's about time that the state follows Maryland by just considering a bill that would allow for medicinal marijuana. (U-WIRE) University Park, Pa. (C) 2000 Daily Collegian via U-WIRE Published: February 14, 2000Copyright © 1995-2000 Excite Inc.CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Article, Search & Archives: Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Bill That Would Allow MMJ Use To Be Introducedhttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4431.shtmlhttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtmlhttp://www.alltheweb.com/cgi-bin/asearch?type=all&query=cannabisnews+medical
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