POT AS MEDICINE

IT SEEMS THAT Louis Hernandez (Letters, Sept. 13) is confused. He seems to
be trying to link marijuana reform to anti-war activists and painting all
with a broad brush, labeling all of us liberals.

The fact is that medical marijuana has widespread support from liberals and
conservatives. Polls show 85 percent of the public support medical
marijuana. While support for marijuana legalization lags behind, polls are
approaching 50 percent. Surely our supporters aren't all liberals. I
personally know marijuana reform activists who are NRA pro-gun activists,
right-wing Republicans and supporters of war with Iraq.

Hernandez also seems to be confused about the Bush administration's
position. He alludes to our "lifestyle drug of choice being threatened by
another country." Doesn't Hernandez realize that marijuana users are
already threatened by our own country? It sure isn't Canada or Iraq that is
storming into our medical marijuana clubs, terrorizing the patients,
cutting down the marijuana and arresting the operators.

Tammera Halphen, Houston