Letter: Support Medical Marijuana Bill
E. Scott Cracraft
March 25, 2009
The Concord Monitor (NH)
I would like to encourage citizens to support House Bill 648 and let their state representatives know of this support.
HB 648 would allow patients with a doctor's recommendation to grow and possess a relatively small amount of marijuana for personal use. The bill goes to the floor of the House today. If it passes, citizens need to continue to support the measure as it goes through the Senate and to the governor.
A growing number of doctors and other medical professionals are recommending marijuana for patients suffering from the side effects of cancer chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis and other conditions. Already, a dozen states allow for legal use of marijuana for certain medical conditions.
The Drug Enforcement Administration under President Obama has decided to make arresting medical marijuana patients a very low law enforcement priority because it is a waste of federal resources. The proposed New Hampshire law would not decriminalize non-medical marijuana use. Nor would it allow for cannabis retailing.
Some oppose this bill because they are afraid that some medical marijuana will be rerouted to recreational use. Of course this is a danger with any drug. Highly addictive opiates which are regularly prescribed by doctors for pain find their way to the black market. Still, we do not respond by completely denying legal access to these drugs for those patients who need them.
HB 648 is not about encouraging the abuse of marijuana or any other drug. It is about showing compassion to New Hampshire citizens who need it as medicine. | 
