FEDS SHOULD BUTT OUT OF POT LAWS

U.S. Sen. Barney Frank introduced a bill last week to end the federal
prosecution of marijuana possession in states where it is legal.

This is not only a good idea, it's a moral one.

Several states in the U.S. have medical marijuana laws that make it
legal for patients with prescriptions to partake.

Those patients following their doctors' orders have sometimes found
themselves on the wrong end of federal prosecution, even though
they're obeying both their state laws and their doctors' orders.

Frank's bill would still allow for prosecution of drug dealers and
those in possession of enormous amounts of pot, but it would allow
those declared legal by their states to stop fearing federal
prosecution.

Frank, in defending his bill last week, said the decision of whether
to legalize marijuana or keep it illegal belongs to the states, not
the federal government.

While not explicitly supporting the legalization of marijuana, we
have to agree with Frank that the decision on whether to legalize is
within the jurisdiction of the states.

We are not convinced that the "slippery slope" argument declaring
marijuana a "gateway drug" leading to harder drugs doesn't have at
least some merit.

That said, doctors prescribe hard drugs every day to their patients,
from the addictive oxycontin to morphine.

We trust doctors to make those decisions in the best interest of
their patients based upon their own study, best trade practices and
years of experience.

We don't think the federal government should be prosecuting people
who are taking oxycontin under the care of a doctor, nor should those
taking marijuana under the care of a doctor if their state has
declared such prescriptions legal.

Ultimately the issue is one of states' rights.

We fall on the side of the states, while leaving the discussion of
legalization of marijuana for another day.