An Open Letter about Medical Marijuana

I’d like to begin by thanking so many wonderful people from all walks of life that I have met in this wonderful land of ours.  Some of you were responsible for a great deal of research in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  Through your efforts and with the help of patients and doctors you were able to convince 36 states of the necessity regarding marijuana as medicine. You also were able to give patients a beautiful legacy in DEA Judge Francis Young’s ruling in support of medical cannabis in 1988.  As patients, we will forever be grateful to the people and all the efforts that were put into Proposition 200 and 215.  The White House may still be in denial and the laws are still being challenged.  But make no mistake – you ended the dark light of ignorance that lasted 60 years when you allowed to voters to speak their minds inside the voting booth.

The environmentalists have brought to our attention that we cannot live as healthy people on a sick planet.  Each of these segments has contributed so much in putting together the puzzle so that the world is beginning to see the horrible spectrum that this prohibition has created.  It’s tentacles strike woundingly at all the areas in our lives as patients.  If you take your message on to other states, please remember that the laws that must be changed now have to be more than tokens.  They have to be designed to alleviate the unnecessary horrendous suffering that is happening to millions of patients in the U.S. and the world.  We must take responsibility in reminding our legislators and those practicing law enforcement that the Constitution of the U.S. is still the supreme law of this land and that all of them have taken an oath to uphold and protect this document for which so many have shed their precious blood.

In taking input from patients, you will quickly realize the intolerable situation that prevents our doctors and ourselves from communicating openly without fear of reprisals.  Certainly the first amendment should apply to those who have dedicated and given up most of their youth studying so that they will know something about my body.  We must at all times remember that bad laws constantly hurt good people.  In the hope that we will continue to work together in order to achieve all these goals, I will close here by introducing some of you to Dr. James W. Woodward.

Dr. Woodward had worked in law policy in the U.S. since 1898, was the co-author of the Harrison Act, the first document to deal with drug illegality in our country.  He was quite shocked to hear about a new drug called “marijuana” which supposedly had horrifying effects on its victims.  Upon personally investigating the claims, he found not one shred of substance to the allegations.  He was not allowed to testify and therefore found it necessary to write a letter which you can still find in law libraries today.  In this letter, Dr. Woodward points out that if we were trying to outlaw cannabis, we shouldn’t be calling it “marijuana” (Mary Jane in Spanish).  In spite of the fact that cannabis had been as widely used in the early part of this century as Tylenol is today, Dr. Woodward felt that there was still much research needed as he was convinced that this herb had many, many, more medical benefits.  He stated that it’s prohibition would be a terrible disservice especially to the elderly and the children because of cannabis’ non-addictive properties.  He closed the letter with genuine concern for what this prohibition would mean to the economy of the American farmer.

I support all of you.  You are all desperately needed.  We will all be 10 times more effective when we find the strength that can only be derived through unity.

Let’s keep learning from one another.  Please keep the initiatives simple and to the point so that they can alleviate the suffering as soon as possible.

Sincerely and with love always,
Elvy Musikka
Hollywood, Florida
Dec. 14, 1997