Pubdate: Wed, 02 Jun 2004
Source: Hill, The (US DC)
Copyright: 2004 The Hill
Contact:  http://www.hillnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1509
Author: Peter Savodnik
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL POT GROUP TARGETS MEMBERS

Medical-marijuana backers are targeting a bipartisan group of House members 
that they claim are hostile to patients who toke up to ease the pain.

On Friday - the one-year anniversary of the sentencing of Ed Rosenthal, who 
was convicted for growing marijuana - hundreds of patients and others will 
descend on 100 congressional district offices to protest what they view as 
the mistreatment of medical-marijuana users.

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is coordinating the protests. Targets 
include Reps. Joseph Hoeffel (D-Pa.) and George Nethercutt (R-Wash.), both 
running for Senate and Reps. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), Heather Wilson 
(R-N.M.) and David Wu (D-Ore.).

The group singled out members opposed to an amendment introduced by Reps. 
Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) that would prevent 
the Justice Department from harassing medical-marijuana patients and 
caregivers.

The amendment failed, attracting the support of 152 members last year.

MPP spokesman Bruce Mirken said that it was impossible to target all the 
members who had opposed the amendment and that, in some cases, the group 
zeroed in on members considered possibly open to a vote change.

Mirken said focusing on some members - such as Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) - 
"would be a waste of time."

Souder spokesman Martin Green, said, "Congressman Souder, in his capacity 
as chairman of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human 
Resources, has held hearings at which the Food and Drug Administration and 
other agencies that have examined [both] sides [of the issue] have 
demonstrated that there isn't medicinal value in smoked marijuana."

Mirken said the MPP hopes that the medical-marijuana issue could tip the 
scales in close Senate contests in Washington, Pennsylvania and elsewhere 
this fall. 
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