Pubdate: Tue, 17 Feb 2015
Source: Tampa Bay Times (FL)
Copyright: 2015 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.tampabay.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Author: John G Chase
Page: A6

NO NEED TO REINVENT WHEEL

Medical Marijuana

In a few weeks the fight will begin in Tallahassee to write
legislation to make medical marijuana available to Floridians who need
it. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Seven states know what
works because they have been living with medical marijuana laws since
2000.

Maine is one of the seven. Maine gets high marks from Americans for
Safe Access, the flagship national organization for medical marijuana.
Maine's law provides provisions for adding new diseases/conditions,
child custody protections, employment protections, housing
protections, explicit privacy protections, protections from arrest,
reciprocity (with other states), restrictions on where patients may
medicate, and zoning restrictions. Maine also allows personal
cultivation, the feature most responsible for the rapid collapse of
the street market and its violence.

In 1929, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote approvingly
of resolving contentious social issues in 'the laboratory of the
states.' Then it was about alcohol prohibition. Today it is about
marijuana prohibition. We should heed his advice.

John G. Chase, Palm Harbor
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MAP posted-by: Matt