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Once or twice every day, Julie Falco breaks the law to relieve her multiple sclerosis symptoms. Eating illegal marijuana brownies, she says, allows her to stand up straighter and walk more easily.
But Falco worries about getting busted, and she believes the stress can worsen her symptoms. So today she plans to testify in favor of a bill that would legalize the medical use of marijuana in Illinois.
The bill would allow a patient with a "debilitating medical condition" to legally possess pot.
The House Health Care Availability and Access Committee is holding the 1 p.m. hearing at the Thompson Center. The committee shelved the bill last March, but the measure likely will be re-introduced next year.
Ten states allow the medical use of marijuana, said Matthew Atwood of Illinois Drug Education and Legislative Reform. He and other supporters say marijuana can help relieve nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, appetite loss from AIDS, muscle spasms from MS and pressure in the inner eye associated with glaucoma.
Opponents say legal drugs are safer and more effective, especially when taken under the direction of a doctor. "You don't want to leave management of a disease to episodic smoking of a weed," said former deputy drug czar Dr. Andrea Barthwell. "It is not the best that 21st century medicine can offer."
Barthwell notes that the prescription drug Marinol, which contains a synthetic version of the active ingredient of marijuana, treats chemotherapy nausea and AIDS wasting. Side effects include dizziness, exaggerated happiness, paranoia, drowsiness and thinking abnormally.
Under the bill, a doctor would have to certify that a patient has a medical condition that could be helped by using marijuana. The state then would issue an identification card permitting the patient and his or her primary care giver to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and six marijuana plants. Barthwell said six mature plants could yield as many as 1,000 joints.
Opponents say pot contains many harmful substances that could, for example, weaken the immune system and increase the risk of lung infections.
Moreover, the legislation would send the wrong message to young people who might conclude that if pot is used to treat patients, it must not be very harmful. "It undermines our prevention efforts," Barthwell said.
Opponents also believe medical marijuana is the opening wedge in a campaign to eventually legalize pot for recreational use, which they believe would be disastrous. They cite studies showing that more young people are in treatment for marijuana dependency than for alcohol or for all drugs combined.
But Atwood denied that medical marijuana would be the first step toward legalization.
"It's about protecting patients from arrest and imprisonment," he said.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Author: Jim Ritter, Health Reporter
Published: October 4, 2004
Copyright: 2004 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact: letters@suntimes.com
Website: Chicago Sun-Times
But Falco worries about getting busted, and she believes the stress can worsen her symptoms. So today she plans to testify in favor of a bill that would legalize the medical use of marijuana in Illinois.
The bill would allow a patient with a "debilitating medical condition" to legally possess pot.
The House Health Care Availability and Access Committee is holding the 1 p.m. hearing at the Thompson Center. The committee shelved the bill last March, but the measure likely will be re-introduced next year.
Ten states allow the medical use of marijuana, said Matthew Atwood of Illinois Drug Education and Legislative Reform. He and other supporters say marijuana can help relieve nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, appetite loss from AIDS, muscle spasms from MS and pressure in the inner eye associated with glaucoma.
Opponents say legal drugs are safer and more effective, especially when taken under the direction of a doctor. "You don't want to leave management of a disease to episodic smoking of a weed," said former deputy drug czar Dr. Andrea Barthwell. "It is not the best that 21st century medicine can offer."
Barthwell notes that the prescription drug Marinol, which contains a synthetic version of the active ingredient of marijuana, treats chemotherapy nausea and AIDS wasting. Side effects include dizziness, exaggerated happiness, paranoia, drowsiness and thinking abnormally.
Under the bill, a doctor would have to certify that a patient has a medical condition that could be helped by using marijuana. The state then would issue an identification card permitting the patient and his or her primary care giver to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and six marijuana plants. Barthwell said six mature plants could yield as many as 1,000 joints.
Opponents say pot contains many harmful substances that could, for example, weaken the immune system and increase the risk of lung infections.
Moreover, the legislation would send the wrong message to young people who might conclude that if pot is used to treat patients, it must not be very harmful. "It undermines our prevention efforts," Barthwell said.
Opponents also believe medical marijuana is the opening wedge in a campaign to eventually legalize pot for recreational use, which they believe would be disastrous. They cite studies showing that more young people are in treatment for marijuana dependency than for alcohol or for all drugs combined.
But Atwood denied that medical marijuana would be the first step toward legalization.
"It's about protecting patients from arrest and imprisonment," he said.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Author: Jim Ritter, Health Reporter
Published: October 4, 2004
Copyright: 2004 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact: letters@suntimes.com
Website: Chicago Sun-Times
