by Shelley Anklan

Twelve states have effective medical marijuana programs, and it's time for Minnesota to join them. Doctors already can prescribe much harsher and more-addictive drugs, like morphine and cocaine, so they should be able to recommend marijuana as a treatment option to those patients who will benefit from it.

As a natural, low-cost medicine with minimal side effects, marijuana is one of the safest known therapeutic substances available. It can relieve the pain of patients suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS, and its medical use has been endorsed by many organizations and medical professionals.

Minnesota's bipartisan medical marijuana bill passed through its final committee Wednesday and will be sent to the House floor. This bill would protect patients who use medical marijuana per their doctors' recommendation, while maintaining reasonable safeguards against abuse.

As a leader in health care, Minnesota needs to set an example for other Midwest states. The decision of which drug is best for a patient should be made by a doctor, not the government. Please urge your representative and Gov. Pawlenty to support this bill.

It's an issue of compassion for patients dealing with debilitating illness.

Shelley Anklan, Rochester