MOST PEOPLE BACK MEDICAL-MARIJUANA

In drafting the "Ohio Medical Marijuana Act," the Ohio Patient Network
utilized the experiences of other states that have passed compassionate-use
acts ("Will lawmakers swallow a medical-marijuana pill?" Sept. 4).

We examined the problems that arose and observed how they were addressed by
the states and various communities. We then incorporated all of the very
best aspects into our bill.

Our intent is to provide for the compassionate use of marijuana when it has
been determined by a physician to be an effective treatment for certain
debilitating or terminal illnesses. In addition, we wanted to provide
protection to medical professionals who may recommend marijuana to their
patients and provide law enforcement a means with which they could easily
identify legitimate medical users and caregivers.

(It should be noted that a recent report issued by the U.S. General
Accounting Office found that medical marijuana laws had little effect on
local law-enforcement efforts)

We believe that we have met these goals and that the general public and our
state legislators will stand behind the patients who desperately need the
protections afforded by this act, as the threats and arrests by the federal
government have increase substantially over the last two years.

There are, however, the detractors who believe that marijuana can cause
more harm than good. Scientists around the world as well as those at the
National Institute on Medicine examined the available evidence and found
that, while cannabis use is not without risks, the risks are not as serious
or life threatening nor are they as detrimental to health as are most of
the prescription medications patients are now forced to use.

Further, these detractors maintain that science should decide the matter
while, at the same time, politicians (the most ardent detractors of all)
continue to hamper any research or clinical trials.

We maintain that as long as this continues to be the case, people will
needlessly suffer and be exposed to criminal activity or criminal
prosecution for merely seeking relief from their medical conditions.

State Rep. Kenneth Carano has reviewed the bill and decided that it
presented a legitimate cause and a means to address the disparity.

Our in-depth analysis shows that nearly 70 percent of Ohioans support
legitimate access to marijuana for medical purposes, Republican and
Democrat alike. We would ask that everyone who supports our position
contact their state legislators and encourage them to support the Ohio
Medical Marijuana Act.

Jim White