MD. LOWERS MEDICAL MARIJUANA PENALTY

Ehrlich Signs Measure Despite Strong Opposition From Bush Administration

BALTIMORE -- Gov. Robert Ehrlich's decision to sign a medical marijuana
bill strongly opposed by the Bush Administration will help many patients
end their suffering, supporters said Thursday.

"These are people who are suffering. They're dying. It will help those
people," said Delegate Dan Morhaim, D-Baltimore County, a sponsor of the
bill and an emergency room doctor at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.

The new law does not legalize marijuana, but reduces the penalty to a
maximum $100 fine with no jail time. Defendants, however, must convince a
judge they need marijuana for medical reasons.

Previously, possession or use of marijuana brought penalties of up to a
year in prison or a $1,000 fine.

Despite opposition from some Republicans, Ehrlich had indicated support for
the bill early on because of his belief that people can differentiate
between legalizing the drug and allowing those dying of chronic illnesses
to alleviate their pain.

"This is a position I've had for many, many years," Ehrlich said at
Thursday's signing. "It is not without controversy. It's not without
controversy across parties, across chambers, across states, across the
country."

Ehrlich, however, said he didn't think signing the bill would damage his
relationship with the White House.

Ehrlich is the first Republican governor to sign a bill protecting medical
marijuana patients from jail, according to the Marijuana Policy Project in
Washington.

"Governor Ehrlich's courageous action in the face of a hostile White House
shows that our campaign to protect medical marijuana patients is truly
nonpartisan," said executive director Robert Kampia.

Ehrlich's former GOP colleagues in the House of Representatives are acting
to take drug enforcement money from state and local police officers in
states where marijuana for medical use has been legalized.

Eight other states - Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California,
Colorado, Nevada and Maine - have medical marijuana laws.

Backers of the legislation say smoking marijuana can ease the symptoms of
serious illnesses such as cancer, HIV or AIDS, multiple sclerosis and
Crohn's disease, and help patients suffering from nausea hold down food and
medications.

Opponents, including White House drug czar John P. Walters, have been
pressuring Ehrlich to veto the measure, which they say offers a false and
illegal remedy to the sick.

"I suspect that Governor Ehrlich acted with the best of intentions, with an
honest desire to help people, but it looks like he may have been misled on
the actual science and public health issues here," Walters said Thursday in
response to the signing. "It would be truly unfortunate if today's actions
led, however unintentionally, to greater use or availability of dangerous
drugs in Maryland."

Joe McGeeney, Elks State Drug Awareness Chairman for Maryland, Delaware and
the District of Columbia, said he was disappointed in the governor's
decision to sign the bill and vowed to help repeal it.

"It's sending the wrong message to our kids that it's OK to use because
there is medicinal powers," he said. "Other states that have approved
(similar bills) have seen a sharp increase in the youth smoking marijuana."