MARIJUANA LAW CUTS OUT DRUG DEALERS

Thank you for your article on the latest hearing on making the medical
marijuana law permanent ("Lawmakers here impassioned plea to extend
medical marijuana bill," April 3). As your article mentioned, I was
one of the many patients who spoke in favor of the bill.

I am deeply disturbed by the state police's claim that their
opposition to the bill is somehow based on concern for patients. I was
assaulted once while obtaining my medicine on the criminal market. Let
there be no mistake: This law dramatically decreases the chance that
patients will have to get our medicine from drug dealers.

Before it passed, we faced up to 30 years in state prison for growing
our own medicine. Now we can grow a safe and steady supply without
facing arrest under state law or we can have a caregiver do so for us.
This means that I don't have to risk being beaten up to get my
medicine anymore.

Every day, I am grateful to the General Assembly for that. And I am
grateful every day that I don't have to risk being hauled away to jail
for relieving the terrible symptoms of AIDS and its treatments. I hope
that readers will not be fooled; turning patients into criminals again
won't make our lives safer or improve our well-being. Making the
medical marijuana law permanent will protect us.

Bobby Ebert

Warwick