NOT ONLY WILL MARIJUANA HELP, IT WON'T KILL

I'm responding to the outstanding letter from K. K. Forss, "A
patient's view of medical marijuana," May 2.

I'd like to add that one of the medications prescribed by my personal
physician for my arthritis pain and inflammation has the rare
potential side effect of death. In other words, if I take this
medication as prescribed, I can die as a result. On the other hand,
marijuana has never been documented to kill a single person in the
5,000-year history of its use. For me, marijuana is the more
effective medication.

Right now, if adult citizens opt for the safer and more effective
medication, they are subject to arrest and being sent to jail with
violent criminals. Is something wrong with this situation? I think
so. Shouldn't adult citizens of a so-called free country be able to
decide for themselves what natural herbs to use in the privacy of
their own homes?

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.