D.C.'s MOVE TOWARD ALLOWING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The April 19 editorial "Medical marijuana" rightly praised the D.C.
Council's efforts to ensure that the city's pending medical marijuana
program will be carefully regulated. Having suffered from chronic
migraine headaches, I'm hopeful that I may soon be able to legally
obtain the medicine I've found most helpful.

Though generally restrictive, the council's proposed regulations would
allow dispensaries to operate as for-profit businesses. This approach
has not worked well in other states. Currently, only Colorado allows
for-profit dispensaries, which have been controversial. If the
District's program is intended to reflect what has worked elsewhere,
it should adopt a nonprofit model.

The D.C. bill is too restrictive at times. A proposed rule states that
patients may medicate only at their residence or in a hospice. No
other medicine is treated this way. Although public smoking should not
be allowed, patients should be permitted to use their medicine in the
homes of friends or family members with permission. Other states allow
this, and it works.

Scott Morgan, Washington

The writer is a member of the D.C. chapter of Americans for Safe
Access, a medical marijuana advocacy group.