OPINIONS MIXED IN REGION ON LEGALIZING MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL USE

Area residents voiced conflicting opinions on the legalization of
marijuana for medical use.

While virtually everyone expressed sympathy for terminally ill
patients who sought relief from pain, some worried about the potential
for abuse if pot is partially legalized.

But many were full-throated in their support for the legalization of
medical marijuana.

"I think that anything we can do to reduce the pain and suffering of
people with medically diagnosed conditions is worth it," said Karen, a
36-year-old Milford resident who asked not to give her last name. "If
there's something out there that could make one of those people feel
better, we have an obligation to provide it.

"Why would you want that person to suffer?" said Karen, who works in
public relations. "We can do this in a controlled way, with a doctor's
supervision."

Others were not so sure.

"My concern is that people would misuse it," said Bill Sennello, 78,
of Stratford. "I think people would use it just for the excuse of
having it for their own pleasure, not medicinal use."

That worry was not confined to the older generation. Louie, a
26-year-old Bridgeport student, expressed skepticism that marijuana
could be made available to the terminally ill but kept out of reach
for everyone else. "People would probably take advantage of it being
out in the open," he said. "It could get into the wrong hands, and
there's always the possibility of addiction."

Those who favored the legalization of pot for medicinal use sometimes
said their personal experiences with terminal illness had shaped their
opinions.

"I have had several people in my life who had cancer, and I wish they
had something to make themselves feel better," said Holly Burbank, a
transportation consultant who lives in Ridgefield. "We're not talking
about 16-year-old kids going to a street corner. Doctors would
prescribe it."

Polls show a wide majority of Americans supports legalizing marijuana
for medical use.

In a June 2004 University of Connecticut survey, 83 percent of
Connecticut residents polled said they favored the use of "marijuana
for medical purposes if a doctor prescribes it."