THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

My best friend and co-author George McMahon is one of the patients who
receive medical cannabis from the United States Government's
Investigational New Drug Program. [Re: "Feds vs. Meds," Dec. 9.] He uses
his government marijuana to treat pain, spasms, and nausea related to years
of surgical and pharmaceutical maltreatment, multiple injuries and trauma,
and a rare genetic condition called Nail Patella Syndrome. Prior to being
admitted to the federal marijuana program, George had been through 19 major
surgeries and several near-death experiences, and he was taking 17
pharmaceutical substances on a daily basis. For the past 14 years, George
has smoked 10 pre-rolled government joints each day. During this time, he's
had no surgeries or hospitalizations, and he no longer takes any
pharmaceuticals (aside from the occasional antibiotic).

Like all the patients in the federal program, George is living proof that
cannabis has medicinal value. The federal program was opened in 1978 under
the guise of "research," but officials have not published even a single
study on the patients they provide the marijuana to. It's almost as if they
are afraid to confirm what they already suspect: Cannabis-based medicines
can provide safer relief than many of the pharmaceutical alternatives. But
it's too late. The genie is already out of the bottle.

Christopher Largen, Co-Author of Prescription Pot and JUNK, Denton, Texas