Pubdate: Thu, 21 Oct 2004
Source: Missoula Independent (MT)
Copyright: 2004 Missoula Independent
Contact: http://www.missoulanews.com/News/Letters/LetterTo.asp
Website: http://www.missoulanews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1534
Author: Adam Jones
Cited: Initiative 148 ( www.montanacares.org/ )
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1455/a07.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Initiative+148 (Initiative 148)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

BURNING OUR TAX DOLLARS

This letter is to voice my disgust at the federal government's abuse
of our tax dollars by sending the Office of National Drug Control
Policy's own deputy drug czar, Scott Burns, on a rampage of lies
through our state (see "Their lips are moving," Oct. 14, 2004). Mr.
Burns was sent here as a result of the voter initiative brought about
by the citizens of Montana concerning the protection of users of
medical marijuana from federal agents like these.

Mr. Burns made three stops in Montana during which he demonized those
citizens by stating, "This is a con" and "it's about the children."
Well let me say, it is about the children, and the children have
nothing to fear from a state that is compassionate for its own
suffering people.

Mr. Burns also stated "smoking this weed is not a medicine"; well not
according to the American Nurses Association and countless other
reputable sources, whose medical opinion I trust far more than Mr.
Scott Burns'. How does Mr. Burns respond to Ms. Teresa Michalski,
whose son Travis died last year due to Hodgkin's disease? When
prescription medicines didn't help his nausea, his pain or his
appetite loss, medical marijuana did.

Simply put, I-148 is trying to protect the sick and dying from being
caught up in our government's failed war on drugs.

I don't pay my federal tax dollars to be told how I should
feel.

Adam Jones

Lolo 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake