Pubdate: Sat, 19 Apr 2008
Source: Daily Pilot (Costa Mesa, CA)
Copyright: 2008 Daily Pilot
Contact:  http://www.dailypilot.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/578
Author: Michael Alexander
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

LOCAL REP. BACKS BILL TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has signed on to a bill by Massachusetts
Democrat Barney Frank that would legalize medical marijuana on a
federal level. U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has signed on to a bill by
Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank that would legalize medical
marijuana on a federal level.

Every year Rohrabacher co-sponsors the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment,
which has not passed but would bar the Department of Justice from
spending money to enforce marijuana cases in states that have
legalized it for medical purposes. This bill, which was also sponsored
by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), goes a step further and would begin to
reclassify marijuana as a prescription drug, but Rohrabacher said it
was consistent with his beliefs and didn't force states to accept
medical marijuana.

"If people of a state want to keep it illegal, they themselves could
prohibit that," he said. "It goes a little bit further, but it still
maintains the local and state government's right to make the decision
as to whether or not this is a proper function of government."

This bill is not the same as another one Frank introduced this week
that would remove federal penalties for the personal use of small
amounts of marijuana.

"I'm certainly not a co-sponsor of that bill," Rohrabacher said. "If
it ever comes to the floor, I'd have to make that decision."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin