ALL MEDICINE HAS SIDE EFFECTS, MOST WORSE THAN MARIJUANA

I am writing in response to Sherry Coffin's recent letter to the
editor. If you look at the current demographics of cardholders, you
will find that the age groups are equally represented, the 20-30 year
olds only account for around 9,000 cardholders. I don't quite
understand your argument about parenting; of course it is the parent's
duty to talk with their children about drug abuse, from alcohol and
cigarettes, to pot and heroin. Any individual younger than 18 has to
have their parent's consent to obtain a green card, so what is the
problem? Of course some abuses exist, but why should 28,000 people
lose a legitimate medicine because a handful of people make bad decisions?

Furthermore, what abuses are really happening? There have been a
couple people arrested for selling their medicine, but what happens if
you give alcohol to a minor? Adults have to be responsible or face the
penalties. For the people complaining about pot in the schools, do you
think the problem will go away if we stick our heads in the sand? I'm
not even sure there is a problem despite what some claim. I don't have
any problems with the current law.

Every medication has the risk of side effects, and most are worse than
cannabis. Every year 300 people die from prescription drugs, while
none die from cannabis. Why do you care if a person uses a plant to
remedy an ailment? Do you think relying on Vicodin, Darvocet or
Percocet is better? Or is the problem really the fact that most young
people qualify under chronic pain? Would it make you feel better if
you have to be 55? Why should we discriminate against age when chronic
pain doesn't. An 18-year-old can serve in the military, yet you would
deny them a remedy for the pain caused by shrapnel or the PTSD they
experience? No, I suspect that the arguments against cannabis stem
from political and cultural baggage rather than logic.

Sarah Bileu

Bozeman