Pubdate: Wed, 10 Mar 1999
Date: 03/10/1999
Source: Hartford Courant (CT)
Author: Mike Gogulski
Note: This ran below a large "Cannabis Caduceus", drawn by Barrie Maguire

On March 2, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., introduced legislation
that would allow states to determine their own medicinal marijuana
policies without federal interference.

Voters in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington
state have passed initiatives that permit the medical use of marijuana
by seriously ill people.

While patients who have their doctors' approval no longer face jail
time for marijuana use in those states, they still face up to one year
in jail on the federal level for possessing any amount of marijuana,
even one marijuana cigarette.

The bill introduced by Mr. Frank would remove these federal penalties
in those states where medicinal marijuana initiatives have already
passed. These voters' wishes should be respected. H.R. 912 deserves to
pass.

Mike Gogulski
Hamden