FOLLOW OTHER STATES' LEAD IN PROVIDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The News-Post deserves praise for its editorial that supports the
legislative effort in Annapolis to end the war on marijuana-using patients
("Pain and pain, again," Jan. 26). For three years, the News- Post has been
a voice of reason on this issue.

The News-Post suggests that the legislation should establish a regulated
distribution method for marijuana in Maryland. In an ideal world, marijuana
would be distributed to patients through pharmacies. Unfortunately, federal
law prohibits this, which is why the states with good medical marijuana
laws allow patients to grow small amounts of marijuana.

In those eight states - Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine,
Nevada, Oregon and Washington - the system is working well. The police in
those states can readily determine which marijuana users are legally
authorized patients, and which are not, because the legitimate patients
carry a doctor's recommendation or a state-issued identification card.

Law enforcement officers in Maryland are just as smart as those in the
aforementioned states, so I don't expect there will be any problems with
the medical marijuana law after it is enacted. It is also important to note
that the bill in Annapolis only permits patients to grow medical marijuana
in a secure, indoor facility. That is more restrictive than the laws in
other states, all of which allow patients to grow marijuana outdoors.

When the legislature allows patients to grow their medicine at home,
Maryland patients will no longer have to buy marijuana on the streets,
which is a good thing for the patients, their families and the police.

ANDY SEXTON, Frederick