Marijuana is medicine

Dear Readers,

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Sen. David Argall for voting in favor of SB1182: An act providing for the medical use of cannabis in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This opportunity does not come along often: to show compassion for the ill, sick and dying. I know that the senator has expressed concern on this type of legislation when I started writing to him over 15 years ago on marijuana issues. Times have changed, and so have the status quo views on marijuana by career politicians.

The senator called out my support of marijuana reform here in the Times News in 2012 for my critique of his voting in favor of Act 13, parts of which were found to be unconstitutional under the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court.

My intent with this letter is to let constituents know that they do have a voice in politics, although it might take 10-15 years to see the results. Never give up, even in the face of ridicule and fear of change.

Rep. Knowles should follow suit here and also pass any related medical marijuana law moving through the state House. The science doesn't lie, and the testimony given in early June in the Senate Law & Justice Committee was spot-on: Marijuana is medicine. As a registered medical cannabis patient in Vermont, I look forward to seeing this bill become law for my fellow Pennsylvanians.

Mark Linkhorst

Hinesburg, Vermont