MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Monday's editorial, "Return the pot," [Times, July 21] was exactly
right in saying that medical marijuana seized from Martin Martinez,
head of the Life Vine cooperative in the University District, should
be returned.

Based on all information now available, Martinez was acting within the
parameters of Washington's medical-marijuana law, and police have no
right -- and no logical reason -- to keep his property.

The editorial did have one small factual error, however: There are now
a total of 12 states with medical-marijuana laws, not 11: Alaska,
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

That number could become 13 this year: A medical-marijuana initiative
will be on Michigan's November ballot, and early polls have shown it
leading.

Bruce Mirken, director of communications of the Marijuana Policy Project

San Francisco