FEDS INVESTIGATE STATE POT LAW

The General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, is
looking into Oregon's medical marijuana program for undisclosed reasons.

"It's a little baffling, and it's an uncomfortable kind of
bafflement," said Mary Leverette, acting manager of Oregon's
3-year-old medical marijuana program.

The clash of federal intervention against controversial state laws is
much on Oregonians' minds -- and in their courtrooms -- these days.

Lawyers for the state faced off Friday against the Bush administration
in federal court in Portland over a move by U.S. Attorney General John
Ashcroft to crack down on Oregon doctors who participate in a
doctor-assisted suicide under the state's Death With Dignity Act.

Oregon's Medical Marijuana Act, approved by voters in 1998, raises
"another states' rights issue," Leverette said. "Is that rearing its
ugly head?"

When Leverette met with GAO staff last month, she broached that
question -- to no avail.

"I raised it, and got no comment, no facial expression, nothing,"
Leverette said. "You would think they practiced in front of the mirror."

GAO investigators interviewed Leverette, state public health officer
Dr. Grant Higginson and Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Noelle, as well
as district attorneys and federal Drug Enforcement Administration
agents in Portland.

Leverette said she was told the nature and genesis of the inquiry were
confidential. Reviewers disclosed only that they were looking at
medical marijuana programs in four states -- Oregon, California,
Colorado and Hawaii -- to see how they prevented abuse. Nine states
have medical marijuana laws.

The GAO report was requested by Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., chairman of
the House subcommittee on criminal justice, drug policy and human
resources. Both the GAO and subcommittee staff declined comment.

Two GAO reviewers and an auditor came to Oregon in mid-February
and

[Note - The news item ends as above on The Oregonian website]