I must admit that I was more than shocked to read Bill Winsley's comments regarding Ohio's possible medical marijuana bill discussed in Tuesday's Post. Winsley, the director of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, was quoted as follows; There is no legitimate medical use for marijuana ... There are enough drugs to treat pain.
After reading Winsley's words, I didn't know whether to shake my fists with rage or laugh at his moronic statement that ironically parallels recent data listing prescription drug abuse as Ohio's leading cause of injury death. That's right: More Ohioans are kicking the bucket because of prescription drug abuse than that of illegal drugs. Even more disturbing: More Ohioans are dying from prescription drug abuse than from car accidents. And it's also ironic to note that marijuana has never been linked to a single death.
I guess I just have a difficult time comprehending why the U.S. government has the ability to tell a sickly man or woman who desires marijuana as their chosen form of pain relief that they cannot have access to this herb.
The negative affects of marijuana aren't comparable to crack-cocaine. Or OxyContin. Or alcohol. Marijuana has never been shown to be an addictive substance, unlike a large portion of the current prescribed pain relievers. And the best perk? It's a natural substance that can be grown in the freaking back yard!
Our government has spent the past few months debating health care reform and trying to deduce a strategy that will make health care more affordable/accessible to the general public, yet these same legislative bodies are preventing people from gaining legal access to one of the oldest, most affordable, accessible and natural forms of pain relief? It's just mind-boggling.
Lindsey Plocek is a junior studying journalism.
4 Opinion
