MEDICAL MARIJUANA OFFERS ONLY BENEFITS

We realize it's too much to ask for a debate about the benefits of
medical marijuana to focus solely on health issues and not turn into a
social morality play. That's what happens when the subject is an
illegal drug often used for recreational purposes that generates
heated passions on both sides of the legalization discussion.

But when it comes to limited legalization for medicinal reasons,
critics simply don't have a viable case against it. On Monday, the
state Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
approved a bill that would provide chronically ill patients with
access to marijuana. The patients would have to petition the
Department of Health and Senior Services for permission, with
certification from a physician.

The benefits of medical marijuana to relieve pain and nausea in some
patients are well-established at this point, even without the kind of
definitive scientific evidence that some opponents demand. Thirteen
other states have already legalized medical marijuana.

During committee hearings, critics complained that the legalization
would amount to tacit approval of marijuana for recreational use as
well.

That's an argument just being thrown out there for emotional reasons
rather than practical ones. What about other prescription drugs? Do
they have all have tacit approval for broader use as well? Is
government just sort of winking at us all with every new drug
approval, giving us the secret OK to go ahead and use it however we
want?

Marijuana is readily available to recreational users already, and it
doesn't require back-alley deals with hardened criminals to get it.
Giving relief to patients in need isn't taking an irreversible step on
the inevitable path to reefer madness. And there remain plenty of
misconceptions out there about the long-term damage caused by
marijuana and its supposed role as a gateway drug.

The issue at hand is simply whether to provide suffering patients
access to a relatively safe drug to ease their pain. Broader social
concerns about marijuana shouldn't be allowed to taint that process.
We support the legalization of medical marijuana.