THE RIGHT TO SMOKE

A recent ABC/Washington Post poll showed that "81
percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical use,"
and state medical marijuana initiatives have been repeatedly endorsed
by voters.

Studies have shown that marijuana relieves debilitating symptoms,
including nausea, appetite loss and severe pain. I can testify that it
does help with severe pain, as I am a chronic pain patient since 2002,
following a failed back surgery that left me with a debilitating
disease called arachnoiditis.

In my case, the doctors prescribed two very addictive opiates that
have serious, adverse side effects and may even cause death. Many
otherwise illegal substances, such as Oxycontin and morphine, can
legally be prescribed by doctors. The same should be true for
marijuana, which is less dangerous and addictive than any of these
substances.

Medical marijuana would be a wonderful alternative for someone like
me. However, since it is not yet legal in my home state of Alabama, I
must become a criminal if I choose to use cannabis to alleviate my
symptoms. I strongly believe the decision of what medicine is best for
an illness should be left up to the patient and the doctor, not to
police and prosecutors. Our state should use tax money to prosecute
violent crime, not punish medical marijuana users.

The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act is set to go before the
House of Representatives this legislative session. This bill will
protect physicians who recommend medical marijuana (cannabis) for
their patients, and protect patients who use it.

Penny Vaughan

Lineville