Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jul 2003
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2003 News World Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Author: Paul Armentano
Cited: Office of National Drug Control Policy (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

DEBATING POT

It's ironic that Robert Weiner, former public affairs director for the 
White House Drug Policy Office, chose to willfully misconstrue the facts 
regarding the medicinal use of marijuana ("Canada, Maryland going to pot," 
Op-Ed, yesterday) mere days after delegates of the American Nurses 
Association (ANA) convened in Washington and resolved to "support the right 
of patients to have safe access to therapeutic marijuana."

Who do you believe? A career-long policy wonk with no medical training or 
experience, or the registered nurses who have dedicated their lives to 
attend to the needs of the sick and dying?

Despite the propaganda spread by those like Bob Weiner, 80 percent of 
Americans support legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, according to 
the latest Time magazine/CNN poll. So also do the boards of no less than 80 
state and national health care organizations, including the American Public 
Health Association, the AIDS Action Council and the New England Journal of 
Medicine.

Our neighbor to the north, Canada, recently legalized and regulated the use 
of marijuana under a physician's supervision -- a decision that rightly 
creates a legal distinction between the medicinal and recreational use of 
marijuana and sensibly removes patients from the front lines of the war on 
drugs. Congress and the Bush administration would be wise to do the same.

PAUL ARMENTANO

Senior policy analyst; National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

Washington
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MAP posted-by: Tom