MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLAIMS CONFUSING

In response to the article about Janna Johnson, a diabetic medical
marijuana user, (June 3 Gazette) I'm sure I'm not the only reader
confused by the statement made that medical marijuana reduces the
pressure in her eyes from glaucoma. It is my understanding that there
are medicated eye drops that actually work and are made for this
purpose. Looking up glaucoma on a medical website, it called
marijuana an "unproven treatment." I'm confused how marijuana
actually treats this disease; to me, it just looks like Johnson is
self-medicating by numbing her nerve damage pain in her eyes instead
of treating the problem. This disease can blind her and she isn't
reducing the pressure from the fluid buildup by smoking. My
understanding is that marijuana merely reduces sensation so it feels
like the pressure is gone.

Johnson needs to make lifestyle changes for her health instead. With
diabetes, as any nurse or physician or student studying health care
can tell you, it is a very manageable disease.

Marijuana will not help treat her diabetes. Medical marijuana was
assumed to be used for chronic pain patients and for end of life
patients who do not want to be on morphine when the state of Montana
voted on its use. This is clearly not a case of either of those.
Changes need to be made when prescribing this drug, because it needs
to be given to those who actually need it - just like any other drug
on the market.

Mary Martin

Billings