MARIJUANA IS MEDICINE

One word was conspicuously absent in Robert DuPont's op-ed "Medicine
- -- Not Pot": "arrest."

At present, it is a federal crime for seriously ill people to use
medicinal marijuana, even if their doctors approve. Patients are being
arrested and jailed for obtaining and using their medicine.

Last month, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) said, "We concluded that
there are limited circumstances in which we recommend smoking
marijuana for medical uses." DuPont lists IOM's recommendations for
short-term use but neglects to mention that IOM also urged the
government to create compassionate-use programs for patients with
long-term needs. IOM does not want patients to be arrested. Why is
DuPont hiding the whole truth?

DuPont and his ilk will do whatever it takes to keep existing criminal
penalties in place for medicinal marijuana users. It's time to stop
this cruelty. The simplest way to protect patients is to pass House
Bill 912, which would end the federal prohibition of medicinal
marijuana and allow states to create their own policies without
federal interference.

Robert D. Kampia

The writer is executive director of the Marijuana Policy
Project.