MEDICINAL MARIJUANA AT WHAT COST?

Re: your April 13 article, "Hundreds remember teen killed in Malibu car wreck":

Another dead teen. Even though the medical-marijuana initiative was
passed by California voters in 1996, the distribution of marijuana,
except under special circumstances, is still illegal. Narcotics are
controlled by the federal government and federal laws supersede state
laws. Yet, our teens and young adults continue to flock to physicians
who charge between $150 to $200 to issue a medical-marijuana card
with little or no medical indication.

Our teens believe that these cards are actually valid, having been
issued under the color of authority by a marijuana doctor or clinic.
They wave these cards at those who disapprove and believe it
magically allows them to get out of jail free.

Individuals who desire marijuana become personally offended when you
say marijuana is addictive. For this commentary, rather than get
bogged down in this debate, I will say the following: Those who
desire marijuana want it really, really, really bad. They will
compromise their lives, their integrity, their personal health,
education, job and relationships with their family and the safety of
themselves, friends and innocent bystanders in order to obtain and use it.

Marijuana is a potent drug. The pot grown today is far more powerful
than that cultivated in the 1960s. Today's pot is definitely not your
father's marijuana. When you get stoned, you suffer severe
intoxication, manifested by impairment of judgment and coordination.
It is worse when you combine marijuana with another drug such as
alcohol. When you are stoned, you should never drive.

One of the justifications for the use of marijuana goes like this,
"Well, you use alcohol." This is not a valid argument. It is
unfortunate alcohol is an accepted tradition in our society. Alcohol
has ruined millions of lives.

It has devastated the health of individuals, destroyed families and
has resulted in millions of deaths from physical decay and automobile
accidents. Just because society has made a mistake with alcohol does
not mean we should add to the devastation and carnage by making
marijuana easy to obtain.

So, is there a role for medical marijuana?

The answer is a surprising yes.

Marijuana relieves pain or the perception of pain (people still have
pain but they don't care) in severe illnesses. It is a viable
alternative to narcotics such as Vicodin, morphine, Oxycontin, and
Oxycodone, in the treatment of severe pain and can provide comfort to
dying individuals. Medical marijuana should be controlled by the Food
and Drug Administration under the same guidelines as narcotics.
Physicians who improperly prescribe marijuana, especially if it
results directly or indirectly in an unnecessary death, should be prosecuted.

For those of you who use marijuana, remember this: When you are
stoned, you are impaired. Never drive under the influence. You do not
want your legacy to be your death, the death of your friends and,
potentially, the death of innocent bystanders.