cannabisnews.com: Mom's Death Led Ventura To Support Medical Pot





Mom's Death Led Ventura To Support Medical Pot
Posted by FoM on April 05, 2001 at 10:28:08 PT
By Jim Ragsdale, Staff Writer
Source: Star Tribune
Gov. Jesse Ventura, who has long supported the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, told college students on Wednesday that his mother's last hours convinced him that patients with serious diseases need all the help they can get.``Who is government to tell someone, if they have AIDS or cancer, what they should be taking?'' Ventura said in response to a student's question during an appearance at the University of St. Thomas.
``These are hideous diseases, and if you get some relief by smoking marijuana, why not?''The Minnesota Senate has discussed a bill to study use of marijuana for medical purposes, and Ventura is scheduled to attend a state-sponsored conference on the subject Friday. While he has supported the concept, some public safety officials fear it will hurt attempts to curtail illegal marijuana use.Ventura said his mother, Bernice, who died in 1995, had a severe respiratory condition. He said doctors assured him they would ease her pain during her last days, which he said was a great comfort to him.``She had this concoction in a bottle that she would drink,'' Ventura said. ``Rest assured, it was morphine, and a lot of highly, big-time painkilling drugs in there, that made her life bearable during those final days . . . ``To me, if marijuana does the same thing . . . how can legislators tell the medical community what to do? This should be left up to a doctor's discretion.''He referred to a ``60 Minutes'' episode about a young man with cancer who found that marijuana helped ease the nausea after chemotherapy.``You've got a kid here with cancer,'' Ventura said. ``I don't give a damn if he smokes a joint, if it means his health.''``What's the difference between that and giving him morphine, from a doctor, or Percodan, or the favorite today -- what's the one they put half the women on? Prozac. Now what's that all about?''Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN) Author: Jim Ragsdale, Staff WriterPublished: Thursday, April 5, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Star Tribune Contact: opinion startribune.com Website: http://www.startribune.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Governor Jesse Venturahttp://www.mainserver.state.mn.us/governor/Ventura Supports Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9267.shtmlGov. Ventura Supports Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9265.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: