Three Lessons from California's Compassionate Use Act‪.‬

In 1996, California made a bold experiment, to legalize the sale and use of marijuana for medical reasons. The law encouraged an exception to criminalization of marijuana for the terminally ill. Like the law's name, the California act allowed for the compassionate use of marijuana. The intentions were noble. If you had ever seen a person waste away from the effects of cancer and its potent cures, you would understand the reason for compassion. A fraternity brother and former roommate of the author recently passed away from cancer. Lance had gone from a healthy man to a skeleton in months. The illness was devastating and debilitating. Pain from the illness mixed with reactions from a variety of medicines. The potential treatments made matters worse. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have terrible side effects, including loss of hair, and constant nausea. Patients literally waste away. Lance's story is not unique.