MARIJUANA HELPS WITH SEVERE PAIN

Frank Montelione's letter "Medical marijuana is not needed" July 3 makes me
wonder what Internet sites he's been visiting to get his information.

Certainly not the site that displays the Institute of Medicine Report, a
federally funded, $1 million study commissioned by ex-drug czar Barry
McCaffrey in 1997 and released in March 1999
(http://books.nap.edu/html/marimed/) requested by me.

The study notes, in discussing the use of marijuana for pain, "All of the
currently available analgesic (pain-relieving) drugs have limited efficacy
for some types of pain. Some are limited by dose-related side effects and
some by the development of tolerance or dependence. A cannabinoid, or other
analgesic, could potentially be useful."

In examining the purported link between cancer and smoking marijuana, the
study concluded, "There is no conclusive evidence that marijuana causes
cancer in humans, including cancers usually related to tobacco use."

Montelione also apparently is unaware that medical marijuana does not need
to be smoked. There are a variety of other ways to ingest it, including
inhaling it through a vaporizer, in foods, as a liquid tincture, in
capsules or even as a suppository.

Apparently, Montelione never has known anyone suffering from serious
illness for whom all conventional treatment options have failed, and
marijuana is the only medicine that works.

Then he might find some compassion to light his way out of his self-imposed
ignorance.

Gary Storck, Madison, Wis.