Pubdate: Thu, 10 May 2007
Source: Post-Bulletin (Rochester, MN)
Copyright: 2007 Post-Bulletin Company, LLC
Contact:  http://www.postbulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1342
Author: Jeffrey L. McCormick

MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW WOULD SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE

I am writing to urge our community members to contact their 
legislators and ask for their assistance to defeat the Medical Use of 
Marijuana Bill that is being considered in the Legislature.

Marijuana is a Schedule I substance of the federal Controlled 
Substance Act. The possession, sale or manufacture of marijuana is a 
federal crime. Marijuana has been considered a gateway drug to other, 
more dreadful drugs.

Consequently, current federal law does not agree with the proposed 
medical marijuana law under consideration by the Minnesota 
Legislature. The conflict will subject Minnesota residents as well as 
law enforcement officials to conflicting and confusing laws, rules, 
roles and positions. Placing our citizens and law enforcement 
officers in this position is simply poor public policy.

I could list several additional reasons why I and my fellow police 
chiefs in Minnesota do not support this bill from a law enforcement 
perspective, but most telling is content from an April 2006 news 
release from the FDA:

"A growing number of states have passed voter referendum or 
legislative actions making smoked marijuana available for a variety 
of medical conditions upon a doctor's recommendation. These measures 
are inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications undergo the 
rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and are 
proven safe and effective under the standards of the Food, Drug 
&Cosmetic Act. Accordingly, the FDA as the federal agency responsible 
for reviewing the safety and efficacy of drugs, the Drug Enforcement 
Administration as the federal agency charged with enforcing the CSA 
and the Office of National Drug Control Policy as the federal 
coordinator of drug control policy do not support the use of smoked 
marijuana for medical purposes."

Legalizing Marijuana for Medical Purposes will lead to increased use 
of marijuana by other persons, increased crime and the perception 
that marijuana is harmless.

Jeffrey L. McCormick

Chief of police

Chatfield
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