MEDICAL MARIJUANA: BONO'S VOTE A SURPRISE

On June 15, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to continue federal
arrests of medical marijuana patients, even when those patients are acting
legally under the law of their state and with their physician's recommendation.

Rep. Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs, supported a similar amendment last year,
but this year she was among those voting to continue arresting the sick.

We hope you will consider an editorial addressing this.

Rep. Bono's vote was a surprise, given her support last year. Her vote
ignored pleas from the United Methodist Church, American Nurses
Association, National Association of People With AIDS and many others.

It also ignored strong and consistent public opinion in favor of protecting
medical marijuana patients from arrest.

Most recently, in a national Mason Dixon-Poll taken June 8-11, voters said
the federal government should stop arresting medical marijuana patients by
a margin of more than four to one.

Bruce Mirken, director of communications, Marijuana Policy Project

Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.