REP. COHEN TO SPEAK AT MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT EVENT

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., will address the
Marijuana Policy Project on Wednesday evening, his office confirmed
this morning.

An advocate of the legal use of marijuana for medical purposes, Cohen
is expected to address the policy group's annual gala dinner on
Capitol Hill if it doesn't conflict with a Democratic members' caucus
meeting.

"I think that he is one of the strongest members of Congress in
general on these issues," said Marijuana Policy Project spokesman
Aaron Houston.

A bill pending in Congress eliminating federal penalties for the
personal use of marijuana was introduced last July by U.S. Rep. Barney
Frank, D-Mass., and is co-sponsored by nine others. Cohen is not among
them.

But Cohen is one of 30 co-sponsors of the Medical Marijuana Patient
Protection Act, also introduced by Frank last summer.

Houston said Cohen's views were made clear when he confronted FBI
Director Robert Mueller about marijuana arrests at a Judiciary
Committee hearing last year. Cohen was skeptical of claims that
marijuana is a gateway drug leading to serious drug abuse.

U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder announced last year that it would
be the policy of the Justice Department not to raid establishments
selling medical marijuana in the states that have made the practice
legal.

Cohen would be the only member of Congress to address the group, which
advocates for less restrictive marijuana laws at the state level.
Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, the comedians, are also expected to
address the session.