FERGUSON AGAINST MEDICAL MARIJUANA OPERATED BY STATE

The editorial regarding medical marijuana ("Fear and pain, again," Jan. 26)
was a very thoughtful piece on the issues to weigh before such a policy is
ever adopted. That's why the states should wait for the federal government
to fund research regarding patients who show an improvement in dealing with
diseases by smoking marijuana.

My younger brother died of leukemia in 1983 when he was 20 years old. His
last days were not easy ones. Patrick was in a lot of pain and I watched
him suffer. I understand the issue very well and can relate on a personal
level.

However, law enforcement and judges don't know how to deal with dealers of
marijuana who might show up in court and plead innocent because less than 1
percent of their sales are to health patients.

Until we come close to figuring that out, I must continue to vote against
medical marijuana. Others may stereotype my vote as uncaring and
insensitive, but that's an unfortunate part of politics. I believe at this
time that those who want to legalize medical marijuana are sincere, but
sincerely wrong to expect state governments to take the lead in this effort.

I do support federal funds to research it, though. The states are ill-
prepared to form a national consistency in the research and development of
such a complicated policy.

TIM FERGUSON, Maryland state senator, Taylorsville