GOOD JOB, ELLEN, BUT THE FEDS ARE CRACKING DOWN

Double bravo to Ellen Goodman's article on the medical marijuana progress
in Canada. But she is perilously wrong on one count about the situation
here in the US. She says: "The feds aren't likely to crack down on the
terminally ill, nor are law enforcers eager to rip joints out of the hands
of AIDS patients." In reality, the feds and law enforcers get downright
mean when those ill patients speak up:

First, life-long cancer patient Todd McCormick, who sits in jail now
because he grew a lot of pot only to study and write a book on medical
marijuana.

Second, the baffling cancer survivor: Steve Kubby. Kubby ran for governor
of California as a Libertarian on a medical marijuana platform. An
investigation against him was actually begun based on accusations in an
anonymous(!) letter to police.

And lastly, AIDS patient and Libertarian Peter McWilliams who is now dead
because fanatical drug warriors kept him from smoking his medical
marijuana. The story: McWilliams was arrested for giving money - a book
advance - to Todd McCormick for his medical marijuana research. After
McWilliams arrest, his $250,000 bail was paid by a loan on his mother's
house. Therefore, if he smoked, she lost her house. So he smoked no more.
He also never made it to jail on the charges. You see, without smoking, he
could not keep his prescription medications down, and died.

I encourage you to look these names up on the Internet and find out about
the casualties of this insane War on Drugs. Our politicians may say they
won't crack down. But someone you know could be their next victim.

Dan Litwin

San Diego, CA