AS WITH OREGON'S SUICIDE LAW, FEDS NEGATING MEDICAL-POT LAW

Republican actions speak louder than words. Thanks to Clarence Page for his
enlightening article about Attorney General John Ashcroft undermining the
will of Oregon voters despite the fact that the "Death with Dignity Act"
they approved twice already has withstood legal challenge ("Attorney
general has no business at deathbed," Nov. 13). By coercing doctors with
the threat of revocation of their licences to prescribe federally
controlled medicines, such as painkillers, he is interfering in the
doctor-patient relationship and the practice of medicine.

Mr. Ashcroft and another Bush appointee, Drug Enforcement Administration
chief Asa Hutchinson, have undermined the will of the voters in California
and, subsequently, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Washington and
Hawaii. Each of these states has passed a medical marijuana law, allowing
use of the illegal drug with a doctor's prescription. Most qualifying
patients are afflicted with multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS or cancer and have
tried every other known treatment, finding that marijuana provides the
greatest relief with the least objectionable side effects.

The Los Angeles Cannabis Resource center, with the cooperation of the
county sheriff's office, had been filling prescriptions for 960 patients
until Mr. Hutchinson sent 30 federal agents to raid the center. Rather than
pursue real criminals, Bush appointees are adding to the suffering of
thousands of severely ill patients. Ironically, in negating millions of
votes in the name of federal law, they are forcing sick people to seek
relief from real drug dealers.

Republicans are fond of saying they want to keep government out of people's
lives. They claim they favor state and local control whenever possible.
Apparently, those principles apply only when state and local officials act
in accord with conservative Republican beliefs.

JOHN R. HINES

North Palm Beach