Pubdate: Mon, 18 Feb 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
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

FERGUSON STICKING TO HIS OPINION ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

As a rebuttal to the recent letters advocating legalized medical marijuana, 
I know my committee deals with all criminal justice issues and therefore it 
is my committee that receives expert testimony on this issue. Few, if 
anyone, in the law enforcement community want to see this bill passed. In 
the states where it has become a state law, the federal laws are still 
being enforced, and they regard marijuana as an illegal drug - not a 
pharmaceutical.

Also, all prescription drugs go through research and development phases 
under federal guidelines. States cannot fulfill health protocols under 
National Institutes of Health standards in contradiction of federal drug laws.

Finally, if anyone really believes that drug dealers won't demand 
protection under the medical marijuana state statutes, just because the 
bill says so, they are naive. They will cry out for protection and 
eventually some liberal judge will throw the case out. Then what do we do 
with the state laws without federal laws to fall back on?

Nobody in law enforcement wants this headache. I know, because they tell me 
so. They tell me because I sit on the committee that must vote on the 
issue. Let's wait for the federal government to finish its funding for 
research; it won't be a long wait because the feds are working the issue 
with their own bills. Let's be patient - for the sake of good medicine for 
patients.

TIM FERGUSON, Maryland state senator Taylorsville
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager