MAKING SENSE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

As a recent Madison County resident and an active and long-time
proponent for the use of medical marijuana, I would love to share a
little something with your fine readers. The National Organization
for the Reform of Marijuana Laws' Web site recently reported on a
comprehensive review published in the October 2005 issue of the
scientific journal, Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry. That review
concludes that: "Cannabinoids possess ... anticancer activity [and
may] possibly represent a new class of anti-cancer drugs that retard
cancer growth, inhibit angiogenesis (the formation of new blood
vessels) and the metastatic spreading of cancer cells."

Is it not amazing how scientific research continues to show us all,
almost at a weekly pace, something new and potentially therapeutic
about the cannabis plant? If a medical or biomedical explorer emerged
from the jungle today with a plant that has numerous therapeutic
benefits, is nontoxic, is an excellent source of fiber, fuel and
fabric, and could possibly help cancer patients, that person and
plant would be cheered around the world.

Sadly, and with high irony, that plant does exist in our lives. It is
called cannabis, and processing it in most of America will be met by
fierce governmental opposition and intervention -- not reward or recognition.

In 1994, in Farmington, N.M, I lost my mother to breast cancer. I
hope anyone who reads this never has to go through that ordeal,
especially when there may be something that will help but is made
unavailable. Please do what needs to be done to get the legislation
passed to legalize medical marijuana, for God's sake. Have your
lawmakers take a step in the right direction for a change. You can
read the full report and citations on line at: www.norml.org/
index.cfm?Group-ID=6814.

- -- Bob Niewoehner

Wilton Beach Cay, Belize