MEDICAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVES PASSED

As I read your Nov. 5 editorial supporting medical marijuana, my eyes
filled with tears.

I was diagnosed with AIDS and cancer in March 1996. For 2 1/2 years I used
medical marijuana under my doctors' supervision to successfully counteract
the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation and the AIDS combination
therapy. Last July, I was arrested by federal authorities on medical
marijuana charges. Since then, I have been denied medical marijuana.

Without the ability to keep down my anti-AIDS medications, my viral load (a
measure of active AIDS virus in the body) is up 200-fold (from less than 20
to nearly 4,000), my T-cells are down 26% and I have lost more than 10% of
my body weight. For the first time since my AIDS diagnosis, I fear for my
life. This is because the federal government chooses to ignore the will of
the people of California. Perhaps now the government will turn at last from
its "anachronistic and inhumane" ways.

PETER McWILLIAMS Los Angeles

* There is one fundamental problem with the federal government changing
any part of its marijuana policy--officials would have to admit they have
been lying for decades.

CLIFFORD A. SCHAFFER Canyon Country

* After our Nov. 3 elections, the next day the White House said it would
ignore the overwhelmingly passed medical marijuana initiatives in five
states and Washington, D.C. Wow! I hear now on the propaganda networks, and
have since the first grade in public school, that we live in a democracy.

I am afraid that's a big lie. The truth is we live in a hypocrisy. After
voting Nov. 3, then hearing this news Nov. 4, I questioned my own
participation in this fraud of a democracy.

Now I understand why less than half of registered voters vote!

JONATHON OROS Los Angeles Copyright 1998 Los Angeles Times. All Rights
Reserved

Checked-by: Pat Dolan