Pubdate: Wed, 04 May 2011 Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Copyright: 2011 Star Advertiser Contact: http://www.staradvertiser.com/info/Star-Advertiser_Letter_to_the_Editor.html Website: http://www.staradvertiser.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5154 Author: Sara Steiner MARIJUANA LOSES ONCE AGAIN So once again the medical marijuana patients are left out of any meaningful legislation to help with the many issues left unresolved for the last 11 years since Hawaii enacted its so-called compassionate use of medical marijuana laws. Once again the Senate passed reasonably helpful bills, and the House proceeded to shred them apart and kowtow to the law-enforcement prohibition position and the tobacco, pharmaceutical and other corporate interests. When is this going to stop? Any reasonable person can go online and see the countless medical benefits of marijuana. The federal government sees it too, as it has been busy patenting cannabinoids and other preparations from cannabis for medical purposes, such as fighting cancer. They will benefit tremendously, and you the common citizen will be persecuted and thrown in jail, have a criminal record, be on probation for large blocks of time, and be denied decent jobs because of it. Sara Steiner Pahoa - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake