ASK YOUR LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGISLATION

In drafting the
"Ohio Medical Marijuana Act 2002," the Ohio Patient Network utilized the
experiences of other states that have passed compassionate use acts. 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 the OMMA 2002.

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 the act.

There are however the detractors who believe that marijuana can cause more
harm than good. We have 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 (by and far the most ardent detractors
of all) continue to hamper any research or clinical trials by refusing to
remove marijuana from schedule 1 to another classification that would
permit science to gather information and conduct unencumbered research into
the effects and health benefits of marijuana.

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.

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 2002.

Jim White, vice president

Ohio Patient Network

Columbus