A NEW ASSAULT ON CRIME

The Oregon Crimefighting Act (Initiative Petition 104), referenced by
Allan Erickson in his July 23 letter to the editor, is not just about
medical marijuana.

The Oregon Crimefighting Act provides tax credits for donations to
drug rehabilitation programs, establishes methamphetamine strike
forces, toughens prison penalties for repeat sex offenders, imposes
jail time for repeat drunken drivers, authorizes use of retired
police as volunteers, and much more. It has 15 substantive provisions
designed to be our D-Day assault on crime in Oregon.

One section replaces the Medical Marijuana Act with a prescription
program for people with debilitating conditions that previously might
have qualified them for a medical marijuana card. This carefully
crafted program assures the provision of medication through a
prescription program but would no longer validate easy opportunities
to grow and distribute marijuana.

Mere possession of up to one ounce of marijuana remains as it is now:
a civil penalty.

We propose to replace the Medical Marijuana Act with this
taxpayer-supported prescription program for the truly ill because of
the abuse of the current law.

Kevin L. Mannix

Salem