LEO'S STORY LOOKING FOR RELIEF, MORE TIME

Editor's note: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reporter and videographer
Leo Greene was diagnosed with ALS - Lou Gehrig's disease - on Aug.
16, 2006. In a monthly column and through videos available at
www.dailybulletin.com, Leo explains his thoughts and feelings as he
confronts this terminal illness.

Medical marijuana could buy me time. Time to see my two younger sons
graduate. Time to see another grandchild born.

Time, perhaps, for a cure to come along.

Special Section: Leo's Story

Marijuana protects the nerves and dramatically slows the progression
of ALS and other fatal neurological disorders, according to reputable studies.

I point this out as a reminder and to provide a voice for those of us
caught in the middle of what seems like an intensifying marijuana war.

Narcotics agents are busting pot farms left and right. The DEA has
been raiding medical-marijuana dispensaries up and down the state.
And the U.S. Attorney's Office has been filing criminal charges
against medical-marijuana providers.

Though California voters legalized its use for medical purposes in
1996, possessing or selling marijuana remains a federal crime.

For that reason, or out of fear dispensaries might attract the wrong
kinds of people, some cities and counties are imposing moratoriums or
outright bans on cannabis pharmacies.

In the meantime, the terminally ill are seeking a release from their
suffering or the chance to eke out a few more days on this planet.

The studies supporting marijuana's life-extending and pain-relieving
qualities are compelling.

Marijuana compounds lengthened the lives of laboratory animals with
ALS in a 2004 study at the California Pacific Medical Center in San
Francisco. The animals lived significantly longer, the equivalent of
three years in human terms.

The only drug approved for the treatment of ALS extends life only
three months, on average.

Human trials are said to be in the works, though not in this country,
where researchers face federal obstacles.

Marijuana also relieves the muscle twitching and spasms associated
with ALS. It can also reduce excess mucus, a common and nightmarish
symptom that contributes to lung infections, choking and, all too
often, suffocation.

"We use medical marijuana for some of the symptoms of ALS," said Dr.
Tahseen Mozaffar, co-director of the MDA/ALS Center at UC Irvine.
"Marijuana, or the chemicals in marijuana, may have protective
effects on the brain cells."

Pot's nerve-protecting benefits extend to other diseases.

A study at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San
Antonio found that marijuana-like compounds protected laboratory
animals from the effects of Parkinson's disease.

For those with multiple sclerosis, marijuana appears to slow
progression, as well providing symptomatic relief.

"Cannabis-based medicine is effective in reducing pain and sleep
disturbance in patients with multiple sclerosis-related central
neuropathic pain, and is mostly well tolerated," according to
findings published in 2005 in the journal Neurology.

Marijuana also inhibits nerve degeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

In a study published last year, rheumatoid arthritis patients taking
cannabis-based medicine reported significant relief.

And marijuana has long been shown to be effective in treating nausea
and improving appetite for cancer patients on chemotherapy.

While a pharmaceutical grade of one cannabis ingredient is available
with a doctor's prescription, it does not contain other potentially
beneficial marijuana compounds.

As local officials consider banning or limiting the sale of medicinal
pot, I ask them to keep in mind the voters who approved the use of
medical marijuana.

And keep us in mind, too - the people with ALS, MS and Parkinson's.

We're only trying to buy a little time.