DOCTOR CAN SEE FIRSTHAND BENEFITS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Thank you for publishing the letter supporting access to medical
cannabis for the seriously ill. As a doctor I know the potential
dangers of many of the current legal painkillers include the
possibility of fatal overdosing. This is not true of cannabis, which
is one of many reasons why I support medical cannabis in Illinois.

I recently lost a patient to accidental painkiller overdose. Medical
cannabis can provide necessary relief for patients in pain without the
chance of the patient, in extreme pain, accidently overdosing and
dying. It is also heartbreaking to hear from patients that the
medicine I prescribed to combat their pain either doesn't work or
causes side effects worse than the pain.

Medical cannabis would give me another option for helping relieve the
excruciating pain that prescription narcotics cannot always
effectively treat.

I hope that lawmakers in Springfield can recognize the benefits of
medical cannabis and put the hype and hysteria of reefer madness
aside. Too many are not getting the relief they need from currently
legal painkillers. Adding another, nontoxic alternative to those
dangerous substances would be greatly appreciated by this physician.
Please pass Senate Bill 1381 and help doctors like me do our jobs.

Margaret S.J. Millar M.D.,

Moline