DISGUSTED OVER POT INCIDENT

I am more than a little disgusted by the article "Pot advocates turned
away at Chamber forum" (Oct 24). I know those people ("pot advocates")
who were turned away at the Albany Chamber presentation "The Economic
Impact of Substance Abuse and the Need for a Legislative Solution" by
Dan Harmon.

Harmon is a man with a mission. Some might call it an obsession. By
his words and deeds we know he does not like cannabis (marijuana). We
also know his agenda is very-anti-cannabis and if he could he would
repeal Oregon's Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). Unfortunately for
Harmon, science and modern medicine is on the side of the patients.

As an advocate for job drug testing programs, Harmon has said that
"the employer's position is further complicated by the inability to
measure impairment with medical marijuana." Well, no. Actually
impairment testing has been around for many, many years and does not
require the intrusive and unconstitutional seizure of a person's very
personal property (their urine).

The treatment of those citizens -- advocates or not -- who paid their
attendance fee and showed up at this meeting went beyond reason and
included the physical manhandling of a handicapped female. In 1998
Oregon's citizens passed the OMMA and rebuffed re-criminalizing
cannabis possession (by a larger percentage than supported the medical
marijuana bill). Enough is enough. We cannot afford to support the
anti-pot bigots and their chaotic legislative schemes.

Allan Erickson, Eugene