THE DOWN SIDE TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The down side to medical marijuana I work under a state/federal drug
prevention grant in Knox and surrounding counties, and I have been
deliberating for days on what my response should be to recent pro
marijuana letters. I know others will be writing with some other facts
so I would like to address the issue of smoked marijuana as a medicine
and the propaganda that is being spread throughout our community.

Too often trickery is used in this campaign to legalize marijuana for
the "sick." I sympathize with the plight of sick people all over the
world. I personally helped care for my grandmother who died, at home,
of colon cancer. I understand the pain and suffering that goes along
with a terminal illness. I also know that there were legal medications
that kept her as "comfortable" as any drug could have. I also have
access to a few other facts that pro marijuana organizations don't
always tell you about.

Smoked marijuana actually weakens your immune system. So it might work
great on your nausea or increase your appetite, but it is also going
to put you at higher risk for infections. It will also impair your
vision, memory, coordination and any semblance of free will you might
have had left. Marijuana is a highly addictive drug; 40 percent of
teenagers and 24 percent of adults in drug treatment in Illinois are
in treatment for marijuana addiction. So if you survive cancer then
you have to go through drug treatment to get your life back.

The Institute of Medicine released a study reviewing the medical
properties of smoked marijuana. It concluded that "there is little
future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication." Here
are some other organizations that do not believe smoked marijuana is
any kind of medicine: The American Medical Association, The American
Cancer Society, The American Academy of Pediatrics and The National
Multiple Sclerosis Society. There is evidence that chemicals in the
cannabis plant CAN and DO have medical value. There are medications,
currently approved by the FDA, made from the active chemicals in
marijuana that are used to safely and effectively treat AIDS and
cancer patients. In conclusion, this preventionist believes calling
smoked marijuana medicine is like calling mold (from which penicillin
is made) medicine; I wouldn't advise eating moldy bread to cure a sore
throat. I'd love to give more facts but only have 400 words. Look for
more to come.

Tina Gummerson,

Galesburg