HELPING THE SICK

It's really sad that once again the misunderstanding of medical marijuana
and its potential benefits have become a political football. The
administration seems to think that, by keeping this so-called gateway drug
under prohibitive laws, it has saved America from going the way of ancient
Rome.

I had cancer of the soft tissue of the throat and received radiation to
that area twice a day for six weeks in addition to weekly chemotherapy. The
effects began almost immediately, as I lost more than 60 pounds.

At this point it wasn't about breaking the law but about staying alive. I
tried marijuana; it really didn't help, just as the radiation and
chemotherapy don't always help.

However, why limit one's options? If it helps, where is the harm?

If it can have a positive effect through continuing the lives of those with
AIDS, cancer or any other condition, what right do politicians have to
determine what treatment they choose? When does the compassion outweigh the
ignorance?

This is not about the drug war. This is not about the decline of Western
civilization. It's about helping people who are sick.

I only pray that no one goes through what I did. I can only hope they have
access to the drugs that they need to stay alive.

Alan Fox
Fort Worth