Pubdate: Tue, 18 Mar 2014
Source: Journal Times, The (Racine, WI)
Copyright: 2014 The Journal Times
Contact:  http://www.journaltimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1659
Author: Gary Storck
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n260/a01.html

MAKE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGAL

When newspapers present an editorial, they have a responsibility to 
inform their readers accurately. The Journal Times recently failed 
miserably, "Legalize CBD to treat epilepsy" (March 16).

You seem to be confusing the medical cannabis strain from which the 
CBD hemp oil is being extracted, "Charlotte's Web", with the 
cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD). CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are 
two of almost a hundred therapeutically active cannabinoids and other 
compounds found in whole plant cannabis. These compounds like 
cannabis plants continue to be classified by federal authorities as 
Schedule One drugs with no medical uses and a high potential for abuse.

Charlotte's Web is a form of medical cannabis that contains higher 
levels of CBD, as well as THC. It may or may not be helpful for a 
given individual. It is not pure CBD. Furthermore, it is nonsense to 
say that CBD contains THC.

Rather than creating legal fiction to carve out a narrow exemption 
when there is so much need, what Wisconsin really needs is to allow 
medical cannabis access to all patients who require it, and 
politicians and newspaper editors who are willing to become properly 
educated sufficiently to debate the issue intelligently.

One would think after so many years of effort and with so many 
patients who can benefit, from children and adults with seizure 
disorders, veterans returning from war with PTSD, seniors with 
glaucoma and arthritis, cancer patients of all ages and grandmothers 
with rare intractably painful conditions like Jacki Rickert, namesake 
of Wisconsin's comprehensive medical cannabis act, AB480/SB363, we 
would already be past that point.

Gary Storck

Madison
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom