Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jan 2002
Source: Frederick News Post (MD)
Copyright: 2002 Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing Company
Contact: 
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/contact/contactfinalnew.cfm?contact=letters
Website: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/814
Author: Tim Ferguson
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n125/a10.html

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
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