MEDICAL MARIJUANA: BRAVE STEP FORWARD

Next time you're tempted to criticize the Hawaii Legislature as a spineless
lot, consider its passage this week of a bill legalizing the medical use of
marijuana.

It is a bill whose time has come, but that hasn't been clear to some
legitimately powerful and persuasive opponents, including Hawaii's law
enforcement agencies and the Hawaii Medical Association.

Even more daunting, one would think, is the fact that medical marijuana
remains criminalized by federal law.

The bill allows patients to use marijuana if they have been diagnosed by a
licensed physician as suffering from a debilitating medical condition and
have a written certification from the physician that the potential benefits
of medical marijuana outweigh health risks. Such conditions include cancer,
glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, or chronic diseases or conditions that cause severe
pain, nausea or seizures.

Gov. Ben Cayetano has said he's inclined to sign this bill. He should.

Once it becomes law, we hope Hawaii's medical community will have the wisdom
and courage to prescribe this palliative where indicated. There's enough
suffering in this world without allowing unnecessary pain to persist.