Chris Endress, Quad-City Metropolitan Enforcement Group | Posted: Saturday, March 6, 2010 11:30 pm

The supporters of “the compassionate use of marijuana” for the sick and dying have numerous stories of cancer stricken family members that received some benefit from using marijuana. Those stories tug at your heart leaving you with the idea that if it makes them more comfortable before they die, then what is the harm in letting them smoke marijuana? 

The harm comes when legislators allow patients to grow their own marijuana and grow for other patients. Several states have lost control of their medical marijuana programs, and I want to share their problems with the citizens of Iowa before we make the same mistake.

First, we must accept that marijuana is the most sought after illegal drug in the United States. It is a multi-billion dollar illegal industry.

The compassionate use of a marijuana program is intended for people suffering from cancer, AIDS, and other debilitating diseases. However, there is a catchall in the legislation that usually states, “Or any other condition where a doctor believes marijuana would benefit the patient.”  This means anyone that wants to smoke marijuana can and will with the right doctor’s recommendation.  In a study in San Diego, Calif., only

2 percent of the medical marijuana patients actually had cancer, AIDS or glaucoma.  The other 98 percent had reported some form of pain or anxiety.  The overwhelming majority of medical marijuana patients were males younger than 40.

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