PATIENTS NEED RELIEF MARIJUANA GIVES

As a practicing physician of 29 years, I dedicated my life to caring
for people. After my wife of 51 years was diagnosed with ovarian
cancer last year, I knew uncertainty lay ahead.

Beverly's prognosis was grim. Cancer treatment is an emotional roller
coaster, yet we kept hope until the last day. She underwent surgery
and several courses of grueling chemotherapy. The resulting nausea
robbed Beverly of her quality of life. She couldn't keep anything
down, lost considerable weight and literally wasted away before my eyes.

Over the years, I heard marijuana was a helpful treatment for nausea.
We consulted with our family physician. "Of course you know that
isn't available," he said, "but Marinol is." Marinol is a synthetic
version of THC, one of the active chemical components in marijuana.
But it also had a distressing side effect - hallucinations. Beverly
refused to take any more.

We were running out of options as Beverly's condition worsened.

I decided to procure marijuana for her. After taking just the
smallest amount, her nausea was gone. It was miraculous.

Many families go through what we did - being forced to break the law
to provide loved ones with relief. But on Nov. 4, Michigan voters can
change this by approving Proposal 1.

To think my wife could have been thrown in jail for using a miniscule
amount of marijuana to cope with her nausea is outrageous. Proposal 1
would protect seriously ill patients from arrest and jail. It's about
compassion and common sense.

Years of study show compounds in marijuana can safely relieve pain,
certain symptoms of disease and the side effects of treatment.

The debate over whether to allow people to use marijuana with the
recommendation of a licensed physician should be about science and
compassion for seriously ill patients who suffer debilitating pain.
It should not be about fear tactics that marijuana use will skyrocket
or that some might take advantage of the law. These arguments are
largely baseless and haven't materialized in the 12 states with
medical marijuana laws. Indeed, Proposal 1 incorporates many of the
lessons we've learned from those 12 other states.

Proposal 1 establishes a statewide registry of patients, who must
apply for ID cards and have the written recommendation of a
physician. Police verification will be a mouse click away.

While some disagree with Proposal 1, the science is sound. More than
1,200 medical professionals in Michigan publicly support Proposal 1,
as do prominent organizations like the Michigan Nurses Association.
The American College of Physicians, the largest specialty physician
group in the country, has acknowledged the efficacy and medical
applications of marijuana.

Patients should be able to choose the medicine that works best for
them with their doctors' guidance, and without fear of arrest or
jail. That is precisely what Proposal 1 will allow.

Keeping a safe and effective medicine away from sick people is
inhumane. Michigan can and should do better for some of the most
vulnerable members of our families and communities.