MARIJUANA

Proposed Legislation Not Necessary Now

Rep. Gregg Underheim's medical marijuana bill is not necessary
("Cancer changes lawmaker's stance on drug," Jan. 2).

First, medical marijuana is already available. It is Marinol -
delta-9-TCH, the active ingredient in smoked marijuana - an approved
Schedule II medication available by prescription from any physician in
Wisconsin in capsule form for the treatment of nausea and vomiting
accompanying chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Second, the research Underheim seeks on the possible role of synthetic
and plant-derived cannabinoids in the treatment of certain medical
conditions is also well under way in laboratories such as the
University of California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research and
other settings.

Regrettably, legitimate inquiry as to the possible role of
cannabinoids in the treatment of medical conditions continues to get
hijacked in a bait-and-switch tactic by advocates of legalization of
marijuana for recreational use with all of its accompanying risks. Any
broader change in such marijuana policy should be approached carefully
lest we do the wrong thing for the wrong reasons.

The research Underheim says he can support as a compromise is already
under way. We should await those results - objective, unbiased,
non-political, no hidden agendas - before proceeding reasonably and
rationally in this important but conflicted area.

Darold A. Treffert

Past chair, Controlled Substances Board and Medical Examining Board in
Wisconsin

Fond du Lac