What if you had an infection, a disease or an injury so severe that it changed your life. What if you were offered several options for treatment, all of which would leave you in great pain and bedridden? What if there was one treatment that would allow you to live in relative peace and comfort, but was illegal to prescribe or use. Which would you choose?

This is the choice that faces thousands of Ohioans every day. Cancer patients, AIDS patients, those with multiple sclerosis, those with degenerative disc disease -- the list goes on and on. Why? Because our very small thinking and very shortsighted elected officials, who are supposed to have our best interests and wishes in mind, refuse to acknowledge studies regarding the medicinal use of marijuana.

Call it reefer madness, just say no, whatever. It comes down to science: Marijuana has been proved to render aid to these suffering people, and our Legislature turns a deaf ear to their pleas. Only Sen. Robert Hagan, D-Youngstown, has the guts to stand up for these people, proposing Senate Bill 74, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Bill that is in our state Senate.

Stand with this brave man and contact your local and state representatives and demand this issue be heard and approved. What if it was your child, your parents? What if it was you?

Michael Boop
Cridersville

(Editor's Note: This letter was chosen by MAP as their Letter of the Week. Great job, Mike!)

Newshawk: Ohio Patient Network www.ohiopatient.net
Pubdate: Fri, 17 Nov 2006
Source: Lima News (OH)
Copyright: 2006 Freedom Newspapers Inc.
Contact: letters@limanews.com
Website: http://www.limanews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/990
Author: Michael Boop