MEDICAL MARIJUANA: BILL WOULD LEGALIZE USE

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, 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 much worse than the original symptoms.
Denying this more natural and safer type of relief is nothing less
than cruel.

Fourteen states have legalized medical marijuana. The most recent was
New Jersey in January.

In Alabama, the Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act has been
introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Patricia Todd,
D-Birmingham.

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