SELF-DETERMINATION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGISLATION

On March 2, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced H.R. 912 which--if
enacted--would allow states to determine their own medicinal marijuana
policies without federal interference. I encourage readers to ask their
representatives to co-sponsor this important legislation.

As you may know, voters in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and
Washington state have passed initiatives that permit the medical use of
marijuana by seriously ill people. A similar measure in the District of
Columbia is tied up in court, and another measure in Colorado passed but was
prevented from taking effect because of litigation on the initiative's
signature count.

While patients who have their doctors' approval no longer face jail time for
marijuana use in the aforementioned six states, they still face up to one
year in jail on the federal level for possessing any amount of
marijuana--even one marijuana cigarette.

H.R. 912 would remove these federal penalties in those states where
medicinal marijuana initiatives have already passed. These voters' wishes
should be respected. H.R. 912 deserves to pass.

Mike Gogulski Editor, The Media Awareness Project of DrugSense Hamden, Conn.