To the Editor:

You are off the mark in opposing measure 33.

You say existing medical marijuana regulations are working well. Based on what?

The current law broke new ground by slowing the arrest and prosecution of patients using medical marijuana. Over 10,000 patients have been registered for the program by over 1,413 different doctors. That part has been successful.

But the current law creates no supply system for medical marijuana. So now there are thousands of completely unregulated marijuana gardens growing the medical marijuana for these patients. Most patients are too ill to grow a garden so they struggle to find a caregiver (who can't be compensated) to grow for them. Some patients must turn to the black market. Some patients just constantly run out of medicine. That's your idea of "regulations that are working well."

Measure 33 creates a system of licensed, regulated dispensaries that can provide better quality medicine to patients than they can produce themselves. Measure 33 sets reasonable limits drawn from a successful federal program (Six pounds annually, not the nine pounds you incorrectly reported.) Do you really want to arrest patients for trying to have enough medicine? Don't our courts and jails have better things to do?

Marijuana is a safe effective medicine when used appropriately to treat a wide variety of medical conditions. If a doctor recommended medical marijuana to you or a loved one, would you really want to have to learn how to grow marijuana just so your family could use it medically?

Measure 33 is about safe access to a safe medicine. Vote yes.

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