Pubdate: Fri, 18 May 2001 Source: Seattle Times (WA) Copyright: 2001 The Seattle Times Company Contact: http://www.seattletimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409 Authors: Andy Ko, Diana LaRose, Chis Holland, Dominic Holden RULING POINTS TO NEED FOR HUMANITY, COMMON SENSE IN DRUG POLICY Editor, The Times: The U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding distributors of medical marijuana in California, regrettable though it is, should not affect enforcement of our state's law that protects qualified patients who use marijuana for medicinal purposes ("Medical marijuana illegal, Supreme Court declares," Times, May 15). The court's ruling does not change the fact that Washington's voters enacted Initiative 692 - the Medical Use of Marijuana Act. This law says that patients with a physician's recommendation to use marijuana to relieve pain have a legal defense against prosecution under state statute. The case does illustrate the need for public officials to show more humanity and common sense in setting drug policies. The justices' ruling hinged on a three-decades-old "finding" by Congress that marijuana has no medical use. However, Congress has ignored abundant evidence that marijuana can help some people to relieve unbearable pain and other physical harms. It is doubtful the court would have deferred to a congressional finding that the world is flat. Given what is already known of the relatively low risk and clear medical benefits, that is essentially what Congress has done in barring use of marijuana to relieve people's suffering. - - Andy Ko, director, Drug Policy Project, American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, Seattle SMOKING BENEFITS How absurd that the Supreme Court says marijuana has "no medical use" when physicians have been legally prescribing Marinol - which contains the major active ingredient in marijuana - for over 15 years. Furthermore, numerous studies and testimonials from persons with AIDS and other illnesses have shown that natural marijuana is even more effective than the pill version. Smoking is a quicker and more efficient delivery mechanism than ingestion. Research has shown that cannabinoids in natural marijuana other than the one that composes Marinol provide additional symptom relief. And pills are hardly practical for patients with severe nausea. - - Diana LaRose, Issaquah PRISONERS OF WAR Our country has tripled its prison population in less than 20 years largely as a result of our "war on drugs." We have a higher percentage of our citizens in prison than any other nation in the world. What will we do with cancer patients who buy marijuana? Imprison them too? Admittedly, the solutions aren't simple. But I suppose that is the point. Throwing people in prison is simple; and it is clearly not a solution. The solution to our drug problem is going to come piece by piece. This is quilt work. There are no blanket solutions here. And writing your representative about the poorly addressed medical marijuana issue is a piece of the solution/quilt. - - Chris Holland, Seattle ROAD TO FREEDOM It is sad when an attack on sick and dying people is condoned by the highest court in the land. The enemy? People so ill they cannot even defend themselves and those compassionate enough to help them. This unexpected stop on a modern-day "underground railroad" will not stop sick individuals from obtaining the medicine they need. But it does mean that the road to freedom may take a little longer, and that more people will be captured along the way. A national policy for medical marijuana will undoubtedly prevail in time, and today's harsh drug laws will be universally discredited. Now, we should turn our compassion to the judges of our Supreme Court and their heartless decision. History shall not remember them well. - - Dominic Holden, president, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) of Washington State, Seattle - --- MAP posted-by: Andrew