Pubdate: Mon, 27 Aug 2007
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2007 The Sacramento Bee
Contact:  http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Note: Does not publish letters from outside its circulation area.
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n966/a01.html?77910
Author: Chuck Seidel

WHAT ARE THE FEDS SMOKING?

Re "Couple found guilty in pot case," Aug. 17: I guess the U.S. 
Justice Department can at last be satisfied, now that they've finally 
succeeded in convicting self-professed "Pot Doc" Mollie Fry and her 
attorney husband, Dale Schafer. Both now face long prison sentences.

It may be true (as defense attorney Tony Serra averred) that the 
couple were "overzealous" in their promotion of marijuana as a safe 
and sane alternative to the concoctions of the pharmaceutical industry.

But their real zealotry -- the cause for which they now look to 
sacrifice their freedom -- was their determination to shield their 
otherwise law-abiding patients from the predations of state and 
federal drug agents.  Now that shield is gone.

Trying to protect their patients from becoming criminals, they became 
criminals themselves.

With multiple states enacting medical marijuana laws, isn't it about 
time for the feds to call off the dogs? Sending good people to jail 
does nothing for society -- and it certainly does nothing for Dr. 
Fry, her husband or her soon-to-be-orphaned children.

- - Chuck Seidel, Carmichael
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom