DRUG POLICIES HURT PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL NEEDS

Few Americans realize that the United States may soon be one the few
Western countries that uses its justice system to punish otherwise
law-abiding citizens who prefer marijuana to martinis ("Reefer madness,"
editorial, Feb. 9).

Evidence of the U.S. government's reefer madness is best exemplified by the
kangaroo court trial of Ed Rosenthal, who grew marijuana for medical use.
By denying an officer of the city of Oakland the ability to use
California's medical marijuana law as a defense, the judge foisted a
predetermined guilty verdict onto a misinformed jury.

The federal government's raids on voter-approved medical marijuana
providers in California say a lot about Attorney General John Ashcroft's
bizarre priorities. The very same attorney general who claims illicit drug
use funds terrorism is forcing cancer and AIDS patients into the hands of
street dealers.

Robert Sharpe

Washington

The writer is a program officer for the Drug Policy Alliance.