HELPING THE SICK SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME

Columnist Patt Morrison is right to rejoice in the justice and mercy shown
by Judge A. Howard Matz in refusing to send medical marijuana defendant
Scott Imler to jail for the "crime" of helping people battling AIDS and
cancer (Nov. 25). But such acts of sanity could soon be illegal if Rep. Mark
Souder (R-Ind.) has his way. Souder, chairman of the House subcommittee that
oversees drug policy issues, is now seeking co-sponsors for the Drug
Sentencing Reform Act, a bill that would take away nearly all of the grounds
upon which judges like Matz can show mercy to defendants who deserve it.
Indeed, the measure would treat medical marijuana providers like Imler as
being worse than child molesters under federal law.

Appallingly, Souder's bill would increase the punishment for those who
provide high-quality medical marijuana to patients -- who can be harmed by
having to use low-potency marijuana that requires inhalation of larger
amounts of irritating smoke.

Bruce Mirken
Communications Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington