BARNEY FRANK - MY POT BILL LIVES ON

I agree with the editorial in favor of changing the federal law in
order to protect patients in states that have permitted marijuana for
medical use. However, in your article on Feb. 14, titled "Marijuana
quandary," you have one important omission in regard to the existence
of national legislation. I have in fact introduced that very
legislation in every year since 1997.

The States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act would give effect to
decisions made by the states to prescribe marijuana when, in the
physicians' medical judgment, it is an appropriate treatment. This
bill would allow states, by their appropriate decision-making
processes and without fear of federal interference, to decide if they
wish to let physicians practicing medicine in those states add
marijuana to the long list of substances they can prescribe when they
believe it to be medically indicated. Furthermore, my bill would put a
stop to federal raids and criminal penalties on patients who are
following state law by eliminating federal penalties related to the
medical use of marijuana in states where the activity has been
approved by the legislature or the people (through the referendum or
initiative process).

The new version of the States' Right to Medical Marijuana Act will be
introduced soon. Unfortunately, no action has ever been taken on my
bill beyond the committee referral process, largely because of
political fear on the part of my colleagues.

Your readers might also be interested in knowing that bipartisan
amendments have been introduced by my colleagues, Representatives
Maurice D. Hinchey (D.-N.Y.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R.-Calif.) every
year since 2003 to preclude the use of federal funding to prosecute
medical-marijuana patients by the Department of Justice. Each time the
amendment has been voted on, it has failed in the House. I have
consistently supported it.

Beyond myself as the sponsor of the states' rights bill, and
Representatives Hinchey and Rohrabacher, there are a number of my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle, like Representative Ron Paul
(R.-Texas) and Rep. Sam Farr (D.-Calif.), among others, who have also
"muster[ed] the fortitude" to be voices for these initiatives. With
more editorial support such as yours, we may win.

Barney Frank,

Washington DC

The writer is a Massachusetts congressman.