Source: Oakland Tribune
Author: Joel W. Johnson
Pubdate: 23 Jan 97
Contact:  note: Besides being published everywhere, Joel also is one of  forlks processing the news for this service. As the
number of articles per day keeps growing, his help is most welcome. Joel
currently processes news from California, Texas and Canadian sources. We
have a great team, but could use a few more volunteers. If you are
interested in helping, processing the news from your state, area, or
country, please drop me a note: RE: Dying Need Compassion

To the Editor:

Robin Bryant's editorial is all the reason we need to defend the cannabis
buyers clubs from the attack of Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren and the federal
government.

While the clubs may not be the best method to distribute marijuana to the
sick, at very least, they take business away from drug dealers and provide
a safe, accountable means to provide treatment.

Bryant's heartfelt account clearly shows that California's vote on
Proposition 215 was propelled by compassion and humanity. Unfortunately, it
will take more and more stories about a "loved one [who] vomited
uncontrollably due to chemotherapy. . . or watched them sink into a
vegetative depression which was unresponsive to prescription drugs" to sway
our stubborn atty. general from his position to attack the sick simply
because marijuana is the cure that ails them.

My only consolation from Lungren's motion to squelch the clubs is my
confidence in his failure: you can't defeat the needs of the sick and dying.

Sincerely,

Joel W. Johnson