Pubdate: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 Source: Dallas Morning News (TX) Copyright: 2002 The Dallas Morning News Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117 Author: Suzy Wills BALLOT INITIATIVE Re: "Wrong Way - Ballot initiatives generally aren't helpful," Editorials, July 8. Your editorial on direct democracy was more a criticism of the initiatives passed by referendum than of the process itself. You laud the referendum on police and fire department pay in Dallas, but malign the results of referendums in California. Ballot initiative is not a way for citizens to usurp the authority of legislators. It is an attempt to make the system work when it has failed. Take the case of medical marijuana. For years polls have shown that more than 70 percent of Americans favor allowing use of cannabis in a medical setting. The major pharmaceutical companies are adamantly opposed. The pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars every month to avoid generic competition. Cannabis is the ultimate generic drug. It effectively treats problems as divergent as migraine headaches, nausea, glaucoma, spasticity and nail patella syndrome. Without prohibition, cannabis would be monetarily nearly worthless. The pharmaceutical industry spends more money on lobbying than any other industry. When it speaks, legislators listen. Ballot initiatives for issues such as allowing medical use of cannabis are helpful if we want government "of the people, by the people, for the people" rather than government of the money, by the money, for the money. Suzanne Wills Drug Policy Forum of Texas, Dallas - --- MAP posted-by: Beth