WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT TORRANCE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES ISSUE

Today we publish answers to our Question of the Week. We'll ask
another question Sunday and await your answers.

This week's question: "What should be the priority for Torrance's City
Council -- upholding the federal ban on medical marijuana or allowing
patients with doctors' recommendations to have a degree of access to
the drug?"

(The Torrance City Council this week voted to deny business licenses
to medical marijuana dispensaries.)

Congress members are not
medical doctors or scientists. They should stop kidding us and
themselves when they insist that they know more than these
professionals. If a doctor feels something is beneficial for his
patient or researchers need certain disposable cells to experiment
with, Congress should not prevent it by inventing or using a ban to
force their morals down everyone else's throats.

Hopefully, Torrance's City Council is smart enough to allow doctors --
and not politicians -- to treat the illnesses of their
constituents.

CHRISTINE A. BREAN

Gardena

I don't think the Torrance City Council should be making decisions
regarding medical marijuana. I feel they should focus their activities
on what a city is supposed to do -- which is maintain the
infrastructure and conduct of the business of the city. I do believe
medical marijuana is something that is of benefit to residents of the
city who need it, and I regret their action (Tuesday) night. I believe
it's going to have untold effects that they haven't considered.

ANDREA WAGNER

Torrance

I feel that medical marijuana should be allowed because, No. 1, it's
natural, and a lot of these other drugs have so many side-effects, and
they're just too dangerous to take nowadays. Most of the people who do
it do it for the feeling that you don't feel pain, not for the high of
it. So, if that works, why not let them? They're not hurting anybody.
They're at home in their private residence, and they have their rights
protected in the First Amendment.

RICHARD GARIBAY

San Pedro

Leave it to Hooterville, I mean Torrance, to turn its back on medical
marijuana. I guess if it doesn't have a TV commercial, is effective
for a wide range of conditions (yet is without side effects) and --
most importantly -- doesn't have a drug company logo, it just can't
work.

Try to sell that one to cancer and AIDS patients, migraine sufferers
and those with epilepsy, among others.

Then try to sell them that beachfront property in Las
Vegas.

JOHN CONYNE

Redondo Beach