SAINT JOEL

(Re: "Putting the kind in kindbud," news, March 24.) I had to take a minute
to write to thank you for the article you wrote about the cannabis club. I
lost my mother just months ago, and I, too, now see the awful mistake this
country has made in its continuation of the so-called "War on Drugs." I
firmly believe she would have had a better end to her life if she had been
given the option to use cannabis as an alternative to the morphine she was
given to suppress her pain. The morphine left her in a total stupor, which
kept her from communicating with her loved ones and even her caregivers.

You are a true saint among men for seeing well beyond the "fog of war"
in this "Drug War," in that there truly is a benefit to cannabis use
for some people.

I know if your readers stopped to compare the Terri Schiavo case to
those of others dying of various terminal illnesses, it was correct
for the government to stay out of the personal business of Mr. Schiavo
and allow him to make the final decision on her behalf. This bears out
in numerous polls taken, showing four out of five Americans believe
the federal government, indeed, should stay out of personal health
issues. That very nearly matches a survey taken by the American
Association of Retired Persons showing that three out of four polled
support the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a show of support
for medical marijuana use from a group that is well experienced in
life issues, and more than average when considering educational background.

Thank you again for your most excellent work in this area and for your
courage to publish the truth about one of the most useful plants known
to humanity.

David Jones

via Internet