Pubdate: Wed, 13 Feb 2002
Source: Frederick News Post (MD)
Copyright: 2002 Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing Company
Contact: 
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/contact/contactfinalnew.cfm?contact=letters
Website: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/814
Author: Andy Sexton
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

FOLLOW OTHER STATES' LEAD IN PROVIDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The News-Post deserves praise for its editorial that supports the 
legislative effort in Annapolis to end the war on marijuana-using patients 
("Pain and pain, again," Jan. 26). For three years, the News- Post has been 
a voice of reason on this issue.

The News-Post suggests that the legislation should establish a regulated 
distribution method for marijuana in Maryland. In an ideal world, marijuana 
would be distributed to patients through pharmacies. Unfortunately, federal 
law prohibits this, which is why the states with good medical marijuana 
laws allow patients to grow small amounts of marijuana.

In those eight states - Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, 
Nevada, Oregon and Washington - the system is working well. The police in 
those states can readily determine which marijuana users are legally 
authorized patients, and which are not, because the legitimate patients 
carry a doctor's recommendation or a state-issued identification card.

Law enforcement officers in Maryland are just as smart as those in the 
aforementioned states, so I don't expect there will be any problems with 
the medical marijuana law after it is enacted. It is also important to note 
that the bill in Annapolis only permits patients to grow medical marijuana 
in a secure, indoor facility. That is more restrictive than the laws in 
other states, all of which allow patients to grow marijuana outdoors.

When the legislature allows patients to grow their medicine at home, 
Maryland patients will no longer have to buy marijuana on the streets, 
which is a good thing for the patients, their families and the police.

ANDY SEXTON, Frederick
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager