MARIJUANA IS NOT THE ONLY PAIN RELIEVER

With the recent campus marijuana controversy pervading the pages of
the Collegiate Times, the drug is at the center of another
controversy, this time in Oakland, California, for a very different
reason. According to The Associated Press, Americans for Safe Access
have filed a lawsuit against the federal government for preventing,
"sick and dying persons from seeking to obtain medicine that could
provide them needed and often lifesaving relief."

The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday over the government's claim that
"pot has no acceptable medical uses." Currently there are 11 states
that allow patients to use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation,
even though the federal government does not recognize its legality or
benefits. The lawsuit comes in the wake of an article published in the
journal "Neurology" about a study performed by researchers from the
University of California at San Francisco. According to The Associated
Press, the test, which involved 50 patients who were HIV positive,
concluded that, "those who smoked pot experienced less pain than those
given placebos."

While it would be ideal for us to have all of the medical technology
and advances to cure people for whatever the illness, we currently do
not. We believe that all other medical possibilities should be
explored before relying on marijuana as a drug for pain-relief.
Marijuana is illegal and in this country, there are plenty of legal
drugs that are available to ease pain for those suffering from
diseases. Those who are in misery should not be denied the right to
have the most fully functioning and pain-free life as possible.
However, while having a respect for life, there should also be a
respect for the law. Before stepping over the line and using illegal
substances for pain relief, all other possibilities should be
exhausted. More information and tests should be done in regards to
learning about the benefits of using marijuana as a pain reliver.

The fact of the matter is, marijuana is not currently a cure for any
disease. The fact that it eases pain is fine, but other alternatives
should be utilized before relying on marijuana as a sole option.