Recently, a quadriplegic man who uses marijuana to control muscle spasms was arrested and jailed in an Amarillo, Texas jail. The fact that he now faces trial and possible jail-time brings up the need for medical-marijuana legislation nationwide. Nine states have currently legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but the federal government still considers it a crime to use, possess, cultivate or distribute marijuana in any form.
             The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is actually considering penalizing the man's doctor for writing a note stating that the man has a medical condition that can be alleviated by using marijuana. Instead of the doctor being congratulated for upholding his oath to help the sick and dying he is being persecuted for showing compassion towards his patient.
             The obvious intention of the DEA is to deprive doctors of their First Amendment right of freedom of speech, and if they prevail, it will mean more needless suffering for patients who could find relief through marijuana.
             That the DEA is even involved in a matter that is best left between patient and doctor is not only a waste of tax dollars, but illustrative of a failed war on drugs that places priority on the senseless prohibition of marijuana ahead of people's health and well-being.
             There is plenty of scientific evidence supporting the medical qualities of marijuana. A prime source is the federal government-commissioned Institute of Medicine Report, released in 1999. Legal prescription drugs have many side effects and account for over 100,000 deaths per year. Marijuana has no toxic dose and has never caused a death by overdose.
             The federal government gives methadone, a synthetic form of heroin, to former heroin addicts, valium to recovering alcoholics, but can't give a patient ravaged by cancer, who has no appetite, permission to consume marijuana.
             The many medicinal benefits of marijuana go without sayi
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