TIME TO RECONSIDER

I was struck by your editorial that a friend showed me about the veteran and
carriage businessman, Darrel Putman, who used marijuana medicinally before
his death from cancer to increase his appetite and therefore regain some
weight ("Medical heritage," Dec. 29).

First, I was surprised by how a conservative man such as himself could feel
so strongly about an illegal substance that some use medicinally to speak
out about it.

Secondly, I was taken aback that a newspaper would publish an endorsement to
open our views and consider a new idea about an illegal substance. I know
that our prisons are overcrowded and many of those prisoners are serving
time for non-violent drug charges.

Maybe it is time to reconsider whether or not we want to incarcerate
patients. You have given me much food for thought and I am glad to see a
newspaper changing my ideas for the first time in a while.

ALISON HARWOOD, Annapolis