AZ LD20 - Gratehouse's position on medical marijuana vastly more popular than Huppenthal's

As I noted in a post a few days ago, Democratic candidate for Arizona Senate Donna Gratehouse favors the legalization of medical uses of marijuana. It's a position with which I agree strongly for two reasons:

1. It has been demonstrated to be effective in treating symptoms of cancer, AIDS, Hepatitis C and possibly even Alzheimer's. Given the millions of people suffering from these diseases, it's incredible how much agony this one drug could be alleviating even as we speak if it were legal to prescribe.

2. Far, far more dangerous and addictive drugs are permitted to be prescribed by physicians, such as morphine, derived from the active ingredient in poppies. To single out the active ingredient in marijuana is extremely illogical and deprives suffering people of a drug that could really help them.

Sadly, some people read the word "marijuana" and immediately have a knee jerk reaction to it. Alcohol and tobacco have been proven to be far more addictive and destructive to the body, but some people act as though they have a sort of psychosis when it comes to discussing marijuana. The result is a flat-out, irrational rejection of a medical use of a drug which could alleviate a lot of suffering for a lot of people.

This is one of those areas in which our State Senator Huppenthal's negligence in serving us is clearly evident. Huppenthal is flat-out opposed to allowing physicians to prescribe the drug, even in cases of serious suffering.

Fortunately, though, he's in the shrinking minority. A large and growing majority of Arizona voters recognize the practical, common sense use of this drug and want it to be available for people who are suffering. People like Donna Gratehouse's own Stepmother, whose cancer-induced pain, nausea and loss of appetite resisted all forms of treatment until she was able to get some much-needed relief from using marijuana medicinally.

In a sign of the times to come, AZCentral.com posted a poll a couple of days ago, asking this question:

Republican state Sen. John Huppenthal and Democratic challenger Donna Gratehouse are at odds over marijuana for medicinal purposes. Whose stance do you support?

-- Gratehouse, legalizing pot for medicinal purposes.
-- Huppenthal, oppose any effort to legalize pot for any reason.

As of tonight, when I voted, 126 votes had been cast. The results were 91.27% in favor of Gratehouse and her position. Huppenthal and his opposition to using the drug to alleviate suffering received only 8.73% support.

Yet another example of how Donna Gratehouse is more in the mainstream than Huppenthal and why I'll be voting for Gratehouse in November.