MEDICAL MARIJUANA UP NORTH

STATE Rep. Fulton Sheen, a Republican from the western part of
Michigan, is a reliably conservative vote on most issues, from
opposition to abortion to support for the National Rifle Association.
Originally, he predictably regarded the idea of legalizing marijuana
use for certain suffering patients as a bad one. But that was before
he saw it ease the symptoms of his dying brother. "When I saw the
relief it gave him, it changed my mind," he said. As a result, he
will vote yes on Nov. 4 for state Proposal One.

His position is the sensible one. Proposal One will not, as opponents
have sometimes falsely argued, turn Michigan into a drug supermarket,
with "pot shops" on every corner. What it does do is permit doctors
to prescribe marijuana use for patients with glaucoma, HIV-AIDS,
cancer, and certain other conditions, provided they are first
approved by the Department of Community Health. While the state would
not get in the business of supplying marijuana, those approved could
grow limited amounts of the drug "in an enclosed and locked
facility." Qualified patients would be required to get a special ID
card. Opponents concede that marijuana can have beneficial effects in
some cases, notably glaucoma, but claim that any benefit can be
obtained by taking the drug in pill form, something that most
sufferers hotly dispute.

The fact is that smoking the drug clearly does help lessen the
suffering of some patients. Over the last decade or so, medical
science has been commendably moving toward a philosophy of doing all
it can to alleviate pain and suffering, especially for the terminally
or chronically ill; that's what the hospice movement is all about.

Proposal One would be a logical next step. Those who claim it would
lead to increased drug use overlook the obvious; that marijuana use
is, though illegal, highly common in our society. This proposal would
merely give sufferers the ability to stay within the law. One added
plus is that it is merely a ballot initiative, not a constitutional
amendment, and could, if needed, be modified or even repealed later
by a vote of the legislature.

We urge Michigan voters to vote YES on Proposal One.