MEDICAL POT EASES PAIN

Editor:

I was in attendance at the City Council meeting Sept. 7, 2004, to
listen to the issues that were advertised in the Sun-Star concerning
medical marijuana. The gentleman from the medical marijuana group
addressed the council and informed them of all the falsehoods that
have plagued the marijuana issue for years. He then asked them to take
a stand on the support of this medicine to help those who are
suffering in pain which prescribed medications don't relieve, and in
some cases cause more problems through side effects to the body for
the person who takes them. He also reiterated we need the ability to
medically prescribe medical marijuana for citizens within Merced
without the infringement of civil liberties and civil rights by law
enforcement officers who are only enforcing the laws that you as the
City Council approve and want enforced. Not one question was asked of
him before he retired from the podium. The mayor then asked the city
attorney for advice and comment. He acted like he was afraid for any
person in the chamber to hear him. But he continually repeated that
the federal government was in charge and that we have to follow its
rules -- although the citizens of California passed the legalization
of medical marijuana and the Supreme Court of California upheld their
stand on the issue.

At that time a professional career nurse addressed the council and
informed it of the pain and agony of many patients who she had tried
to help and provide the best she could to help them through the last
days of their lives, knowing that medical marijuana would have gone a
long way in relieving them of some of the suffering they were going
through. If that did not touch their hearts I don't know what would.
Not one question was asked of her. I thank her for being there.

At that time I decided we all needed to bring this issue to the
attention of those in position to make some sort of ruling of this
issue, and it needs to start here in the City Council chamber.

I myself have suffered from injuries sustained through 20 years of
military service to my country serving in both Korea and Vietnam.
Doctors both through the Veterans Administration and civilian doctors
have tried to help through multiple surgeries and many, many
subscription and pain medications with some relief, but more than
often some sort of side effect that caused more problems than they
solved.

As I advised the council I have never smoked in my life and some time
ago, while taking four to six painkillers a day, a friend of mine
advised me to try marijuana. I was amazed at the results. At present I
only take one to two pain killers a day with no side effects.

I decided to address the council and try to give my thoughts and
heartfelt feelings on the issue. I brought to attention that as we
celebrate the signing of our Constitution of the United States of
America we are continually having our constitutional rights and
liberties being ignored or overrun by those who take office and swear
to protect, preserve and defend the Constitution.

Like Vice President Cheney commented when he was being heckled by
someone about his daughter being gay: "It is her freedom of choice."
What is the difference between her freedom of choice than that of
those who are suffering?

Apparently the only way we are going to address this issue is to make
sure that the truth gets out and not some misled false information
generated by our federal government. As we have noted it has been very
good about spreading false information fed to them through its very
highly paid intelligence groupies.

I do hope that all of you, especially the Sun-Star, do research and
come to your own conclusion and if you feel medical marijuana deserves
your support, do so with all the fibers in your body and stop this
erosion of our Constitution that has been our savior as a nation. May
we also say that we are proud to be Americans and we will fight to the
death to protect the honor and security of this nation.

Charles Igou

Livingston