Pubdate: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 Source: Tampa Tribune (FL) Copyright: 2014 The Tribune Co. Contact: http://tbo.com/list/news-opinion-letters/submit/ Website: http://tbo.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446 Author: Michael J. Dee Section: Views Page 2 POLITICAL QUESTION The ignored fact about the classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug is what determines medicinal use. It is not scientific medical research. It is written in the law. Safety of use determines medicinal use. Marijuana is not dangerous. It is safer to abuse than alcohol. No one has died from over consuming marijuana. Marijuana is arbitrarily classified as a controlled substance, and that violates due process of law. The scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I drug is required by federal law to be in compliance with United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, which is subjected to constitutional limitation of a party under Article 36. Police power is either reasonable or unreasonable. To be reasonable, there must be a victim. The judiciary has declared that marijuana laws are a political question. MICHAEL J. DEE, AUGUSTA, MAINE - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom