Pubdate: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 Source: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Copyright: 2010 The Daily Herald Company Contact: http://www.dailyherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/107 Author: Robert Day BE COMPASSIONATE; OK MEDICAL POT Since 1996, 14 states have enacted laws for the compassionate use of marijuana as a medicine. There are 13 states including Illinois with pending legislation or ballot measures right now. The question we need to ask ourselves is should doctors and patients have the option to use marijuana as a medicine? Our laws allow for doctors to prescribe such medications as OxyContin, Dilaudid, morphine or cocaine, just to name a few. All are highly addictive and in cases of accidental overdose, can be deadly. There has never been an overdose or death from direct use of marijuana. Illinois could become the 15th compassionate state. This is a matter of health care and well being. Robert Day Huntley - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom