Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jul 2009
Source: Alberni Valley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Alberni Valley Times
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouverisland/albernivalleytimes/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4043
Author: Mik Mann

WHY IS IT STILL ILLEGAL TO USE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA?

An open letter to Dr. James Lunney MP for Nanaimo Alberni

Dear Dr. Lunney,

I can remember not to long ago you went to court to continue to use 
the title doctor and won, so I can assume you have taken the Hippocratic Oath.

This leads me to assume that like most doctors, you would agree that 
legal and illegal drug abuse is a health issue so why did you vote 
for Bill C15 calling for mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes?

As a doctor how can you take a punitive stance to a medical issue? I 
believe this is a direct contradiction of the Hippocratic Oath or I'm 
I missing something?

Do doctors now think it's okay to punish sick people?

Mandatory minimums have been proven not to deter crime and only serve 
to make gangs more violent and richer as the price for illegal drugs 
rise due to the risk involved.

Your own party advised against mandatory minimums as well as many 
U.S. politicians.

One only has to look at the failure in the USA who now is looking at 
marijuana decriminalization in some states.

The old argument "we can never decriminalize marijuana because Uncle 
Sam will shut us down" is no longer a valid one.

So I ask you here in public to please explain yourself to me and the 
rest of your constituents how a doctor takes a disciplinary stance on 
a medical issue?

Mik Mann

Port Alberni
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom