LOOK AT FACTS, THEN OK MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Thank you for your recent editorial supporting access to medical
cannabis in Illinois.

It is absurd that Illinois residents who use cannabis with the
recommendation of their doctor are still considered criminals. When I
first started getting involved in the medical cannabis movement in
Illinois, state Rep. Larry McKeon was championing the legislation.
While we have made progress in the legislature with this bill, it is
still not a law and Rep. McKeon unfortunately passed away two years
ago.

How much longer will patients have to be patient waiting for the
political will to come around on this issue? How many more people will
suffer without access to this medicine? How many more people will die
because Illinois lawmakers are more concerned about getting re-elected
than providing a low-cost and safe medicine to the ill in this state?

Other states are considering taxing and regulating cannabis for all
adults in these hard economic times at the same time Illinois
struggles with allowing cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other
patients to use this medicine.

I understand the need to be careful to avoid potential abuses of a
medical cannabis program, but look at the facts. Nobody has ever died
from an overdose of cannabis. Many people die every year from
overdoses on over-the-counter and prescription medications.

Dan Linn

Executive director Illinois Cannabis Patients Association

Chicago