KUCINICH IS BRAVE TO BACK MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Treating medical patients with the disrespect evident in the recent
story by Mark Naymik ("Kucinich's campaign picks up steam - or is that
smoke?" July 2) is abhorrent.

There are patients who use cannabis as medicine because it is the only
available remedy that helps them cope with the intractable pain and
suffering caused by cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and numerous
other diseases and afflictions.

Eighty percent of Ohioans support a patient's right to utilize
marijuana as a form of treatment when deemed necessary by his or her
physician, and for The Plain Dealer to display such disregard for the
health of these patients in exchange for a few tired, worn out puns is
disgraceful.

Any candidate for public office who is willing to publicly state what
so many Americans think privately is to be applauded.

Patients have enough to worry about with the Bush administration's
propensity to concentrate intensely on arresting, prosecuting and
incarcerating medical marijuana patients for the crime of seeking
relief, to also have to deal with shoddy pseudo-journalism.

Ohioans who believe as Rep. Dennis Kucinich does should call their
legislators and ask them to support a patient's right to access a safe
and effective medicine, and The Plain Dealer should present an
unbiased and scientifically accurate report on a remarkable plant
called cannabis.

Jim White

Columbus

White is vice president of the Ohio Patient Network.