MEDICINAL POT ALLEVIATES SUFFERING (2 of 3)

Re "In Santa Cruz, an Official Handout of Medicinal Pot," Sept. 18: After
being diagnosed with a rare lymphoma last December, I began chemotherapy in
January and experienced severe nausea. My doctor recommended that I use
marijuana and promptly wrote me a recommendation. Smoking marijuana has
allowed me to maintain my weight and appetite and has made the majority of
the chemotherapy side effects tolerable. Unfortunately, it is much easier
for me to pick up some quite addictive morphine or Marinol, which doesn't
help me, at a pharmacy than it is for me to get some marijuana.

There are currently no cannabis buyers' clubs in Los Angeles to provide
cancer patients like me with a necessary and useful medicine. I applaud
Mayor Christopher Krohn and the Santa Cruz City Council members for taking
a stand to alleviate suffering among the critically and terminally ill.
Mayor James Hahn, would you please step up to the plate and go to bat for
the sick people of Los Angeles?

David Aragon

Los Angeles