GOULD OBIT OMITTED HIS USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Thanks for printing the obituary about the recent passing of renowned
scientist and Harvard Professor Stephen Jay Gould, ("Gould a scientist of a
rare breed," May 21).

A rare breed indeed. While the article mentioned that Gould had died of
lung cancer, and battled another form of cancer for more than 20 years, it
did not mention the fact he used medical marijuana to ease the devastating
effects of chemotherapy. As an article in the Ottawa Citizen, dated August
5, 1998 noted, "In July 1982, doctors told geologist Stephen Jay Gould that
he had eight short months to live. With his career in full bloom, he was
diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer called abdominal mesothelioma. A
case study in determination, Mr. Gould was one of the first people on Earth
to beat the disease, thanks to surgery, radiation, and years of torturous
chemotherapy. But the 'most important effect upon my eventual cure,' he
says in hindsight, was the illegal drug, marijuana."

The article quoted Gould as saying, "It is beyond my comprehension that any
humane person would withhold such a beneficial substance from people in
such great need simply because others use it for different purposes."

Gould even went on to testify about the medicinal properties of marijuana
in the trial of a Canadian AIDS patient, Jim Wakeford, who used marijuana
to treat his AIDS symptoms.

Gould's passing is a loss for the world and humanity's endless pursuit of
knowledge. We should not only remember him for his fine mind, but also his
words of wisdom regarding the medical use of marijuana. It should be beyond
everyone's comprehension that our government continues to pursue an
official policy that withholds "such a beneficial substance from people in
such great need."

If only the folks who govern us were one-one-hundreth as wise as Stephen
Jay Gould was.

Gary Storck
Madison