MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS ABOUT PAIN RELIEF

According to the writer of the Dec. 20 letter, "Pot bill will let
children smoke," we will see children legally smoking pot at malls
soon if New Jersey's medical marijuana bill becomes law. Not only
that, they could also be able to buy rolling papers and marijuana at
the mall.

I don't know which is more scary. The thought of masses of kids
smoking pot at a mall, or the possibility that some readers of The
Press might be gullible enough to believe that such a thing might
actually happen. Lost in the mix is any discussion of the sick and
dying New Jersey patients whose lives will be improved because of the
Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.

As a supporter of this bill, I invite the letter writer to testify at
the Assembly Health Committee hearings on this bill that should take
place early next year. It would be of great help for the committee
members to be warned about the sky falling on our youth, many of whom
will fake pain to be able to smoke a joint while buying a CD at the
local mall. It was testimony such as that that helped the bill get out
of the Senate Health Committee.

If that's the best that opponents of medical marijuana have, people
like my late wife, Cheryl, who had multiple sclerosis for 32 years,
will soon be having legal medical marijuana, and it's about time.
Detractors should stop blaming medical marijuana for the indiscretions
of our youth and address the real problem.

Jim Miller

Toms River