FOR PATIENTS' RELIEF

The Tribune takes a let's-be-careful position on medical marijuana and
justifies it by the motives of those on the other side. But every social
and political argument includes people on both sides with extreme agendas.
I know a local activist who would prohibit all drugs if she could,
including alcohol and tobacco. Does that make her arguments against
marijuana invalid?

Our ``war between drugs'' is stalemated, but we won't try anything
different. The public is ignorant, frozen like a deer in the headlights,
and the Tribune has been no help. I finally have become convinced our
nation's drug laws are at the root of our predicament, but I am no
extremist. I want action - even wrong action if that is what it takes to
find out what works or what does not work. Public ignorance and official
dishonesty are holding us back.

The editorial writer has probably never been close to patients unable to
obtain relief by any drug except marijuana. Otherwise he would have known
of - and mentioned - its unique ability to enhance appetite for AIDS
patients and to suppress muscle spasms in patients suffering from
neuromuscular diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Conversely, he would not have mentioned
glaucoma because effective prescription drugs are available for it.

The writer says no scientific evidence exists to prove that smoking
marijuana has medical benefits. Of course there's no evidence; there's been
no serious study. Official obstruction continues to this day, even with the
political pressure applied by citizens' initiatives of seven states. The
argument against its use is misleading too: Our government warns us that
marijuana damages our lungs and that strains today contain more active
ingredient (THC) than in the past, but the more THC, the less smoking is
needed. Smoked marijuana is not a perfect drug, but for many patients it is
the best available.

One side wants to try something different, but the other side resists
because it already knows what the outcome will be. It's time to see who is
right. We must either quit trying to enforce abstinence of this drug - less
addictive than coffee - or begin executing marijuana dealers and amputating
the fingers of tokers. Sixty-three years of reefer madness is long enough.

As for motive, I am a retiree, a Republican, who has never smoked anything
and hope I never need to.

John Chase
Palm Harbor