Supports medical marijuana ballot initiative

I have one thing in common with Czar Nicholas II. We both had hemophiliac sons. The Czar granted enormous power to a monk, because the monk was mysteriously able to ease his son’s suffering. Today, he could have expelled Rasputin and used opiates and marijuana. Hemophilia is an agonizing disease, especially for adults. My son avoided opiates (they left him muddled and dull, and were addictive) and his pain was heartbreaking. Then Michigan legalized medical marijuana. Marijuana is less effective than opiates, but it dramatically reduced his pain, without brain fog.

There are many medical conditions that marijuana helps. Nausea from chemotherapy is one. My partner’s son has multiple sclerosis. Marijuana both reduces pain from MS and reduces spasms from the disease. He now lives in a place with legal medical marijuana.

My mother had shingles. Her pain was so severe that she considered severing the nerves in the afflicted arm. Marijuana made her pain bearable.

I will vote for Proposition 65. It is a no brainer. Just Prop 65, not Prop 65A.

Bill Gillmore

Columbus

Editor’s note: Sunday’s Dispatch will contain sample ballots for the upcoming election in addition to an analysis of Mississippi ballot measures.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.