Pubdate: August 18, 1997 

Source: Los Angeles Times Letters

Contact:  2132374712

Helms and Weld 

     Robert Scheer is the first journalist I've read that put the
HelmsWilliam Weld controversy in its true perspective (Column
Left, Aug. 12). It is a sad commentary on our present political
scene that a bigot like Helms is permitted to wield such power. 

     I especially liked Scheer's pointed criticism of William Bennett.
This selfdesignated Mr. Virtue is a vicious bully who hates gays
and anyone else who dares to disagree with him. His opinions about
drugs are extremely simplistic, and he accuses anyone who
disagrees with him of abeing soft on drugs. 
     MORTON WACHSPRESS MD 
     Woodmere, N.Y. 

 One can rarely accuse Scheer of understatement, but his condemnation
of Helms on the medical marijuana/Weld confirmation hearings seems
just that. Every physician and every patient should know that this
excuse for a politician has introduced legislation that would
imprison any physician for eight years in the federal penitentiary
for suggesting to a patienteven a terminally ill oneunder the age
of 21 that marijuana might alleviate some of his/her symptoms. Not
prescribing, but merely talking to a patient about marijuana would be
criminalized. (Marijuana, not stocked by any pharmacy, is
nonprescribable.) J. THOMAS UNGERLEIDER MD Los Angeles 

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