RULING MAY HELP FIGHT FOR MEDICAL POT

Medical marijuana is back on the political agenda, in some ways,
following the splash of a Supreme Court decision earlier this month.

The House of Representatives last Wednesday voted on the
Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which would have provided that no
Department of Justice funds be used to go after patients in states
with medical marijuana laws. Although the measure failed, the number
voting for it increased to 161 from 148 last year.

Only 15 Republicans -- the party that used to say it was for states'
rights and local control -- supported the amendment to the Justice
Department budget appropriation.

After the vote, Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance said, "This
vote sends a clear message to the DEA: further attempts to undermine
state medical marijuana laws will bring further political
consequences." Frankly, picking up 13 votes and still losing doesn't
look like a tidal wave in favor of reform, but it is at least a ripple.

The Supreme Court decided earlier this month that the federal
government can prosecute patients who use marijuana medicinally, even
in states with medical marijuana laws. At the time, the Associated
Press speculated that "it may hurt efforts to pass laws in other
states." So far the record is mixed.

An effort in New York state to legitimize medicinal use of marijuana
does seem to have stalled, prompting Angel Raich and TV host Montel
Williams (both patients) to hold a press conference urging action.

In Rhode Island, however, the state Senate voted 32-2 to approve a
medical marijuana bill the day after the court ruling. In
Connecticut, a Senate bill now goes to the House, which is likely to
concur. Prospects for passage of medical marijuana bills look fairly
good in New Mexico and New Jersey. In Minnesota and Wisconsin,
medical marijuana bills faced long odds before the decision and still do.

The Supreme Court threw medical marijuana back into the political
arena. While many politicians, in line with the 70 percent of
Americans who say they support medicinal use of marijuana when polled
by reputable organizations, are tilting toward compassion, they're
still a minority. But the issue is alive and may be picking up steam.