THE FARCE OF MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

The current Grand Junction municipal election is an opportunity to end
the farce of marijuana dispensaries in the city.

I know that, in a very small percentage of the population, marijuana
is a necessary pharmacological solution. I do not wish to take away
their medicine, but I do wish to have it placed in the hands of
medical professionals.

Proponents of medical marijuana have trotted out all the usual
suspects in their arguments for the dispensaries, even calling them
medical centers.

There is only one problem: There's nothing medical about these
centers. No formal medical training is required for owners and
operators. There are no doctors, nurses or other medical professionals
on staff at these stores.

When applying for the medical marijuana card, there is no medical
history involved. The patient does not have to go through a primary
physician. No questions are asked about what allergies the applicant
might have, no discussions of the side effects of marijuana.

There is a limit to the amount of medical marijuana a card holder can
possess (two ounces), but there is no limit to the number of times the
card holder can go to the shop to receive a supply. Compare this to an
actual drug prescription, where dosage, frequency and length of time
are spelled out.

If marijuana is truly a medical solution, then it should be handled as
such. The primary physician should issue the card. The drug should be
dispensed through a pharmacy, with specific limitations as to the
dosage, frequency and duration of the prescription.

The system now is no more than an upscale version of the head
shop.

KEVIN MCCARNEY

Clifton