LET STATES DECIDE ON MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA

On March 2, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., introduced legislation that
would allow states to determine their own medicinal marijuana policies
without federal interference.

Voters in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state
have passed initiatives that permit the medical use of marijuana by
seriously ill people.

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

The bill introduced by Mr. Frank 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

Hamden