ALLOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE

Dr. Phaneuf objects to the use of marijuana as medicine and cites her
beliefs about the potential risks of using marijuana in general. However,
she fails to inform readers that increasing numbers of legal medical
marijuana patients in the 11 states which permit legal access have
abandoned "smoked" marijuana in preference to safer delivery systems. These
include consuming their medicine in food products, using a vaporizer (which
removes carcinogens produced by smoke) or applying tinctures.

It's important to agree that all medicines have side effects,
including marijuana. However, marijuana is never lethal like many
heavy duty and often addictive FDA-approved drugs.

Dr. Phaneuf also ignores the most pertinent question related to the
discussion of medical marijuana. That is, should a medical patient who
elects to use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation be subject to
federal arrest, prosecution and a mandatory sentence to a federal
prison cage? The ruse being exploited by zealous prohibitionists
is that a prison cage and a lifetime criminal record are a practical
response to otherwise law-abiding Americans who elect to medicate
with drugs other than those approved by the feds.

Stephen Heath