STATE SHOULD ALLOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA

It makes no sense to treat cancer patients and other chronically ill
individuals like criminals for attempting to ease their pain and
suffering. But that's exactly what Alabama does by preventing its
sickest residents from using marijuana under a doctor's supervision.
For many patients, prescription painkillers do not help and their
harmful side effects are a lot of times worse than the original
symptoms. Denying this more natural and safer type of relief is
nothing less than cruel.

Fourteen states have now legalized medical marijuana, the most recent
being New Jersey on January. The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care
Act has been introduced into the House of Representatives by Rep.
Patricia Todd this session.

Some Alabama politicians think Alabama "is not ready" for medical
marijuana. However, seriously ill Alabama residents for whom marijuana
is the only alternative cannot wait and must be forced to break the
law or continue to suffer. It's time for Alabama lawmakers to show
some compassion by making medical marijuana legal.

Christie O'Brien

McCalla