UNINTENDED COMPLICATIONS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW

Maine has finally legalized marijuana for medical purposes but not
without complications that weren't intended when it was voted upon.

There is a lot of confusion for the young and especially the elderly
who voted for it and use it.

Lawmakers in Augusta, who have absolutely no medical knowledge or
even any type of schooling in medicine, are the ones who are calling
the shots and making the rules, which is totally unacceptable.
Doctors and pharmacists ought to be the ones who decide who would
benefit from it or who can possess it, not Department of Human Services.

If a person who cannot afford $75 to obtain a card gets caught eating
or smoking it, a fine is imposed. If the person cannot afford to pay
the fine, then taxpayers pay to house you in jail.

Doctor and patient confidentiality no longer exists and DHS can turn
you down and keep your $75. They are the ones who decide if you need
the medicine, not your doctor.

It is time for everybody to get out of the way of the doctors and
allow them to do the job that they were trained to do. After all,
they did spend long hours and lots of money in their field, and so
let's move over and allow them to decide.

These lawmakers don't go to DHS for an engine tune-up, and so why
should a patient go to DHS for a card. The medical records will speak
for themselves if needed in court.

Dennis Prevost

Skowhegan