CRUEL RULING

East Dundee -- By rejecting a "medical necessity" defense for marijuana,
the Supreme Court of the United States on May 14 sentenced AIDS and cancer
victims to certain slow and painful deaths ("Medical marijuana clubs lose
in court, Justices say U.S. drug law rules out exceptions," Page 1, May 15).

In an 8-0 ruling, the nation's high court approved a Justice Department
injunction against California cannabis cooperative that supplied medical
marijuana to patients. The court rejected any medical-necessity exemption
to federal marijuana laws.

With this ruling, the federal government has officially turned its War on
Drugs into a war on lifesaving medicine. It should now be obvious to
Americans that the government feels that handcuffs and prison cells are the
best medication for terminally ill patients.

Medical uses for marijuana have been proven to help ease the pain for those
suffering from AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis. But the government
feels that it would be better for America to let these sick people continue
to suffer than to make an exception. That's not just cruelty--that's
cruelty directed at our most vulnerable citizens.

For compassionate Americans who reject the argument that marijuana is more
dangerous than prison, we need to work harder to guarantee AIDS, cancer and
multiple sclerosis patients access to lifesaving medicines. And that
includes electing people to office who will repeal these laws that restrict
our freedom to choose.

Austin Hough, State chairman, Libertarian Party of Illinois.