Quit delaying medical marijuana law

Lynn Wolf 


(Photo: Gannett file)

I am a health care worker who relocated to Guam in December 2015 and I have discovered many wonderful things about living here. I never imagined I would find such a warm, welcoming community.

The people of Guam immediately made me feel at home. Among Guam’s many obvious positives such as its beautiful weather and beaches are its cultural and family traditions, tolerance of the GLBT community and scores of community events and festivals.

I do not understand why it is taking Guam so long to enact the medical marijuana law approved by the voters in November 2014. At work, on a daily basis, I see patients who would greatly benefit from medical marijuana to control their pain, seizure disorders and other medical and psychological conditions.

Narcotic drug use is at an all-time high and has many negative side effects. Medical marijuana has proven to be a safe alternative for many people.

Along with the medical benefits of marijuana, there are social and political benefits to the sale of marijuana — 24 states and the District of Columbia have thriving medical marijuana dispensaries.

(Some) have even legalized recreational use of marijuana. Recently published statistics have shown medical marijuana to have many positive impacts, such as increased tax revenues benefiting schools and public health programs, and the crime rates in many of these states have significantly lowered.

It goes without saying that an infusion of tax dollars is desperately needed by local school districts to help improve and maintain public schools here in Guam.

The politicians of Guam seem to be purposely delaying the opening of dispensaries by dragging their feet in the legislative process. Seventeen months is not a reasonable amount of time to enact any law passed by popular vote.

There are plenty of states with successful programs that Guam could use as a template to speed up the process of opening dispensaries.

Please stop procrastinating and get the medical marijuana dispensaries open for the health and well-being of the people of Guam. Call your local representative and ask them to expedite enacting this law!