MEASURE WOULD AID OREGON HEALTH PLAN

For the last 5 1/2 years, I have assisted patients in residential care
(people too sick or physically challenged to live on their own) in
implementing the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. Every week I see
firsthand how this safe and effective medicine improves these
patients quality of life, and in some cases, eases pain and
suffering in their death.

Unfortunately, OMMA is very restrictive. My greatest challenge is
seeing that every patient I agreed to help gets their medicine.
Measure 33 would improve the law and provide better access for those
who qualify. It would establish nonprofit dispensaries that would be
inspected and regulated, and would be mandated to provide 20 percent
of gross yields free to patients on the Oregon Health Plan.

We have found that medical marijuana patients usually have better
symptom control with less prescribed medicine; this would save the
financially struggling Oregon Health Plan substantially in
pharmaceutical costs.

For the sake of patients, I ask you to vote "yes" on Measure
33.

Clifford Spencer

Northeast Portland