MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The more I read and study about the potential benefits of medical marijuana
(including President Clinton's 1999 Institute of Medicine study) as a
method for relieving pain and wasting diseases, the more disgusted I become
with drug policy in Texas. No Texas legislator is willing to carry the
torch for medical marijuana.

When people are in pain and/or are terminally ill, who are we to prevent
them access to something that might at least improve the quality of their
lives or alleviate to some degree the pain in which they are living while
waiting to die?

The federal response (at least the Clinton administration's) to medical
marijuana is clear: "No." And if Clinton and the Drug Enforcement
Administration have anything to say on the matter, it is "no" to states'
rights and to voters' rights to decide what is best for those in every
state in the union.

Unfortunately, the U.S. senators from Texas and my representative are just
as unenlightened and cruel as the Clinton administration when it comes to
medical marijuana. They all say that we will be sending the wrong message
to our children.

I believe that passing any legislation that helps alleviate pain and
suffering sends the right message to children: that we have a caring and
compassionate society.

Steve Helms, Southlake