a victory for patient and physician alike

The United States Supreme Court rejected a Bush Administration appeal, clearing the way for state laws allowing ill patients to smoke marijuana if a doctor recommends it.

"Nine states have laws legalizing marijuana for people with physician recommendations or prescriptions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. And 35 states have passed legislation recognizing marijuana's medicinal value." (CNN.com, October 14, 2003)

At long last, sanity.

Longtime readers of this column, and those who have delved into its archives, know that my mother had a very serious bout with cancer during the past year. She was in a very bad way for a long time; nauseous, no appetite, weak from lack of nutrition. Then the chemotherapy started, and she got worse.

I suggested, absolutely seriously, that she talk to the other members of her cancer patient support group about marijuana. Maybe they would help her get some if she simply inquired about whether they knew if it helped.

She said, with a sheepish look, "yes, I know, and I even know that it would help ... but it's illegal."

Fortunately she came out of what her doctors considered a nearly hopeless situation, hale, hearty and healthy; but it was a long and agonizing struggle. She was doped up with massive quantities of opiates on a constant basis. It was most unpleasant to see her that way, but the only alternative was to see her writhing in agony. The opiates did nothing for her appetite; she still barely ate.

Small quantities of marijuana would have been enough to bring her appetite up, and to liven her spirit. There were several times that she felt like giving up, because the chemo was so damned unpleasant.

At long last, sanity.