Letters: Medical marijuana will hurt more than it helps

Marijuana proponents and some legislators believe our state needs to allow medical marijuana to reduce the pain and suffering for certain subgroups of people with pain, intractable seizures and end-of-life suffering.

A former U.S. attorney is even touting marijuana as a way to prevent opioid addiction, an epidemic brought on by physicians who were encouraged to view pain as the fifth vital sign after height, weight, blood pressure and temperature. This epidemic has created pain and suffering for subgroups of people who become addicted.

Never mind that federal law prohibits physicians from prescribing marijuana and pharmacists from dispensing it; the medical marijuana dispensary run by self-proclaimed “health” providers could dispense marijuana-infused cookies, candies and other forms of “medicine.”

We all know which subgroup will be enticed by these products and “treated” with this medicine: our youth.

This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Letters: Medical marijuana will hurt more than it helps."