SHARING THE POT

The first federal political action committee that focused on the
medicinal-marijuana issue has made its first-ever campaign
contributions to a bipartisan bunch battling it out in closely
contested races.

"This is the next step in the evolution of medical marijuana as a
political issue," says Steve Fox, director of government relations for
the new Marijuana Policy Project Medical Marijuana PAC in Washington,
whose mission is to support candidates who work to ensure that
physician-approved patients have legal access to medicinal marijuana
- -- and to oppose officeholders who work against such
protections.

Recipients of contributions are Republican Reps. Bob Beauprez of
Colorado and Jon Porter of Nevada, and Democratic Reps. Michael H.
Michaud of Maine, Timothy H. Bishop of New York, and Rick Larsen of
Washington. In addition, pot money is going to Democrat Paul Babbitt
of Arizona, who is running against Republican Rep. Rick Renzi.