Finally, Bob Dornan has made himself useful. In making medical marijuana the focus in his attempt to take Dana Rohrabacher's seat in Congress, Dornan has opened up a debate that's long overdue. The issue is normally considered a political third rail and is purposely avoided in elections, so the electorate is denied the opportunity to hear any meaningful debate. Hopefully over the next few months, this debate will educate voters on the science and truths concerning marijuana and expose the myths and spins that prevent a rational national policy toward marijuana as medicine. [continues 620 words]
I have to agree with Mark Dornan that there are indeed significant differences between his father, Bob Dornan, and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher ["Dornan, Rohrabacher aren't cut from the same cloth," Commentary, Dec 14]. But in pointing out those differences, Dornan the younger spins the facts. Dornan charges that HR 2233, a bill Rohrabacher co-sponsored, would "legalize marijuana." The truth is that HR 2233 would prevent Drug Enforcement Administration resources from being wasted on targeting legitimate medical marijuana patients in states where medical marijuana has legal status. I'm thankful that Rohrabacher has the courage to protect individual liberty and states' rights and to see that our precious federal resources are sensibly directed. I'm concerned that our federal representatives treat all citizens with equal respect and protection per the spirit and letter of our Constitution. Rick L. Root Westminster [end]
The federal prosecution and incarceration of Michael Teague for using medical marijuana is antithetical to the principles of liberty and justice ["Man gets 18 months in marijuana case," Local, Aug. 19]. Following our state law, Teague had a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana in place of the toxic prescription medicines to which he was allergic. Yet our court rules that justice is served by incarceration. Teague sought to better his quality of life while harming no one - the essence of liberty. [continues 162 words]
"Clear the Fumes at the DEA" (editorial, Aug. 5) was right on the mark. I am simply appalled at how our federal government continues its war on medical marijuana with such a superficial attitude. But how could the Senate confirm Karen Tandy as head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, a person who, when asked about the 1999 federal Institute of Medicine report that recognized medicinal value in marijuana, answered that she was "not personally familiar" with the report? Shouldn't it be required reading in the mind of any clear-thinking, justice-and-liberty-supporting official? [continues 108 words]
Re "Marijuana Found in Home; Two Arrested," Jan. 12: As I read the story of the two fellows in Tustin busted for growing 149 marijuana plants in an apartment, I realized the TV commercial playing in the background was a government message telling of how the black market for drugs supports a line of distribution that has terrorists and such at the upper tiers. We do realize, don't we, that the quantity represents no more than a mom-and-pop operation in terms of distribution capability? Potential customers of the two Tustin fellows -- whose money would have been returned to our own local economy -- are now more likely to buy marijuana with a significant portion of that money leaving our community. [continues 116 words]
In reference to the congressional call for an inquiry into what U.S. officials knew about al-Qaida threats before the Sept. 11 attacks, Audrey Wicks rhetorically asks, "What American in his right mind could have had such information and not put out an alarm?" [Letters, Oct. 16] - as if it were a given that our leaders are incapable of considering average citizens to be expendable. The question deserves much more than cursory agreement to its implied rhetorical answer - not as an indictment of government involvement but as a means to show that government is capable of such callousness. [continues 562 words]
The type of "void" Rep. Bob Barr's defeat will leave in the Republican Party will be welcome, from my libertarian viewpoint ("Barr's defeat said to leave void in GOP," Nation, Thursday). Those who refer to him as a "civil libertarian" (as quoted in the article) could by the same reasoning refer to Adolf Hitler as a humanitarian. Mr. Barr single-handedly voided the votes of D.C. residents who overwhelmingly passed a medical marijuana initiative. Mr. Barr has been a tyrant's tyrant toward reefer reason, choosing to embrace blindly the worn-out reefer-madness propaganda of a bygone era. Now that he has been given the boot by his constituents, it's likely he'll get an appointment from his fellow "civil libertarian" Attorney General John Ashcroft, who also was booted from office by his constituents. [continues 78 words]
Examples of hypocrisy from politicians are hardly rare, but the example is clear in [Sen. Orrin] Hatch's unbending support for the dietary supplement industry ["A Dose of Herbal Reform," editorial, April 10] . Even though death and serious health problems are documented from the use of certain dietary supplements, his insistence is that the industry--which is mainly based in his own state--remain free of any regulation and its products be treated as food products. Yet Hatch is a staunch supporter of the federal war on marijuana, a war where even a hint of suggesting regulation is ridiculed as being preposterous. Any discussion on the subject of a state's right to regulate the medical use of marijuana is summarily dismissed, even though marijuana has never caused a single death; quite to the contrary, it is a healing herb. [continues 253 words]
