Governor should sign medical marijuana bill

The bill that would allow sick New Hampshire residents to use medical marijuana with a doctor??s approval has passed both the House and Senate and is overwhelmingly supported by New Hampshire residents.

Unfortunately, misinformation from Attorney General Kelly Ayotte may lead Gov. John Lynch to veto the bill.

It is sad that Ayotte would spread falsehoods about medical marijuana to New Hampshire residents and the governor. Claiming that ??the use of smoked marijuana is opposed by all credible medical groups nationwide,? Ayotte is either telling a bold-faced lie or has crafted her opinion on the issue without doing any research.

If she had, she would easily have found many organizations such as the American Academy of Physicians, the American Nurses Association and the American Public Health Association support medical marijuana.

Ayotte also states that marijuana is a gateway drug, yet gives no sources for this claim, probably because no study has ever supported that marijuana is a gateway drug.

Thirteen states have already passed legislation allowing sick residents to use medical marijuana. The sky has not fallen, and all of the states have either kept their law in place or expanded it after evaluating its success. Rhode Island is a perfect example.

These laws are put in place to ensure that only the sickest people have access to marijuana and that they can use it without fear of arrest or imprisonment ?? freeing up New Hampshire police resources for serious crimes.

An attorney general that uses false information to make her point is a dangerous one for any issue, especially one that deals with the well being of sick New Hampshire residents suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS.

If Lynch wants information about the validity of this medical marijuana bill, he should contact health experts such as the American Nurses Association and not rely on misinformation.

Jonathan Perri
Outreach Director
Students for Sensible Drug Policy
San Francisco, Calif.

EDITOR??S NOTE: The author is an alumnus of Franklin Pierce University in Rindge.
Sunday, May 31, 2009