To the Editor:

Re “A Judge’s Plea for Pot” (Op-Ed, May 17):

I salute Justice Gustin L. Reichbach for his courageous act of civil disobedience and his willingness to admit publicly his use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Anyone who has personally suffered or has seen a friend or family member suffer from debilitating pain that traditional remedies do not sufficiently help knows that it does not permit a person to function productively. It is hard to engage in the everyday activities, like eating, sleeping, playing with children, and enjoying the company of friends and family, that make life worthwhile. One’s life becomes entirely focused on the pain.

The judge’s plea to legalize marijuana for medical purposes comes from both his head and his heart. Legally, it does not make sense to criminalize a treatment when the decision should best be left to the discretion of a patient and his doctor.

Why should a person be punished for seeking relief using a drug that is known to alleviate suffering, while causing no side effects and no harm to others? Why should his friends be exposed to arrest for their altruistic response? It seems cruel for a civilized society to withhold available help.