Letter: Ill Can Look Good
Floyd Krautner
June 17, 2009
Hawaii Tribune Herald (Hilo, HI)
I have a comment about Jeff Kearns' concern that people "who appear to be perfectly healthy (are) obtain(ing) medical marijuana certificates" (Your Views, Tribune-Herald).
First off, Mr. Kearns should know that some diseases do not radically alter one's appearance until the very end. Moreover, if a patient is helped by the marijuana, he/she might get well and never meet Kearns' "appearance requirements."
In my case, I suffer two potentially fatal diseases that are helped by marijuana. These illnesses do not alter outward appearance until the end. In my fortunate case, the marijuana has put my illnesses into remission and I might just live a normal life span and never appear outwardly to be sick. Nevertheless, I depend on marijuana to keep these diseases in check.
Does Mr. Kearns think I should be denied access to medical marijuana because I do not look sick? Diagnosis based only on appearance is not recognized as a medical standard by the AMA or any other medical organization. | 
