MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE

Marijuana reduces pain and nausea while stimulating the appetite. This
makes it an excellent medicine for certain types of diseases, a point the
author of "A Haze of Misinformation Clouds Issue of Medical Marijuana"
(Commentary, July 22) seems to miss entirely. What kinds of diseases are
these? Cancer (especially the symptoms of chemotherapy) and AIDS are two of
the most notable. No one claims that marijuana can "cure" these diseases.
But shouldn't we allow victims of these maladies to live their final days
in comfort?

Adam Wiggins, Valley Village