MEDICAL POT GOES PUBLIC

The first New Mexico Medical Marijuana and Natural Healing Expo was
held in Albuquerque last weekend, and thousands were expected to attend.

It points out the ridiculous position advanced just a year ago by then
Health Secretary Dr. Alfredo Vigil, who insisted that public
revelation of the doctors or producers involved would lead to
catastrophe -- even though doctors and growers were already openly
advertising their services on the Internet.

Expo vendors included 13 licensed marijuana growers and doctors
seeking new clientele. Dr. Steven Rosenberg of Albuquerque Integrative
Medicine says he scheduled appointments for about 30 new patients.

Vigil once defended his secrecy in a Journal op-ed column: "We are
trying to do the right thing by supporting our program participants
and carefully creating a regulated distribution system. Sometimes
getting information for the sake of having it isn't the right thing to
do."

He should have told the growers and doctors.

One attendee who hopes to get a license to legally buy and use medical
marijuana said, "This opens it up and makes it not so hidden and secretive."

Like there's something wrong, perhaps?

It's a shame a program designed to help sick people was started under
a cloud of secrecy by leaders who lacked faith in the public they were
serving.