Opinion > Letters to the Editor

Posted on Mon, Oct. 12, 2009

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Letters to the editor on medical marijuana, health care reform, YMCA, Fox News

Show compassion: Pass marijuana law

It was 10 years ago that my best friend died of cancer. And in the last days of her life, she requested marijuana to smoke to help alleviate her pain. As she smoked the cigarette, she relaxed and found a little peace.

We spoke of many things — life, afterlife, our 35 years of friendship. We also spoke of getting caught with this one marijuana cigarette. Her response was, "What can they do to me now?" She died two weeks later.

Modern medical research has discovered a beneficial use for marijuana in treating or alleviating the pain or other symptoms associated with certain debilitating medical conditions. Cannabis is unique among medicines because it has a comprehensive range of actions that can alleviate several symptoms by altering how the body and brain communicate, and how the self perceives its internal organs and symptoms.

Kansas should consider adopting a medical marijuana law. The purpose of this law would be to protect from arrest, prosecution, property forfeiture, and criminal and other penalties those patients who use marijuana to alleviate suffering from debilitating medical conditions.

I miss my old friend. Did she break the law? I think the better question is: Why did she have to break the law?

Show compassion toward the seriously ill.

SUSAN L. HUGHES

El Dorado

Who benefits?

A letter writer didn't recall having health insurance when he grew up ("Pots of gold," Oct. 8 Letters to the Editor). Apparently his family didn't include a special needs child or someone with a medical condition requiring years of intensive treatment. In the past, such families mortgaged their homes multiple times, sold the farm or paid off debts for decades.

The letter writer was correct that doctors, hospitals, drug companies and medical-supply companies will benefit from a "pot of gold" that sees to it that everyone has health insurance. Those medical providers will use the money to care for the seriously ill, as they always have. But by apportioning costs throughout society, especially for preventative measures and early intervention, health insurance companies will be the biggest losers, not individual citizens.

JOHANNA WILSON

Wichita

YMCA spin

It was interesting to see the positive spin Greater Wichita YMCA officials placed on the new downtown branch ("YMCA buys land downtown," Oct. 1 Eagle). However, there are some questions The Eagle reporter should have asked. One might be: Is this club for the surrounding area or for the downtown businessmen? Another question: How will it help downtown to buy property that already is generating taxes and make it tax-exempt?

The downtown YMCA has been a fixture for many years, and it is nice to see it wants to upgrade. However, this is just a businessmen's club. Why should those of us who don't use the YMCA have to experience negative results from this transaction?

Whenever taxpaying property goes off the tax rolls, either a service must be cut or others must pay extra. If this club served some huge charitable purpose, there may be a reason, but it clearly does not. At least at this health club, the YMCA is not trying to pretend that it is anything but an adult health club used by its corporate members.

ALBERT SANCHEZ Jr.

Wichita

Fox breaks news

Leonard Pitts' "Fox is not a credible news source" (Oct. 5 Opinion) was quite possibly the poorest commentary I have ever read in 87 years. He scorned Fox News and its conservative hosts for telling the news as they see it. It is a case of "shooting the messenger" when the news does not agree with what Pitts likes. Fox digs hard and deep and usually is first with breaking news. In some cases, it is the only one to report corruption and fraud in our government.

Pitts stated that "a 2003 study found Fox viewers more likely to be misinformed than those who get their news elsewhere." It is poor journalism to quote a 6-year-old survey as current news.

If you do not like Bill O'Reilly yelling at his guests, Sean Hannity playing football, or Glenn Beck's complex blackboard diagrams, I suggest you listen to Neil Cavuto. You will get the same message in a low-key delivery, without the fanfare. He is my favorite.

BURT BOWLUS

El Dorado