Pubdate: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 Source: Washington Post (DC) Copyright: 2003 The Washington Post Company Contact: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491 Author: Lori Montgomery, and Jo Becker, Washington Post Staff Writers Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Note: Non-drug policy content snipped WINNERS BEAT THE ODDS IN AN ODD ASSEMBLY SESSION The 2003 session of the General Assembly was one of the strangest in memory, as a new Republican governor battled the House over a bill to legalize slot machines and the House, in turn, battled the Senate over bond bills and a host of other issues. The slots debate produced plenty of clear-cut winners and losers but so dominated the session that standouts on other issues tended to get lost. Herewith, an effort to correct that. Winners (snip) Former delegate Don Murphy. For years, Murphy pushed a bill to legalize marijuana use by the desperately ill. This year, a weaker version of the bill finally passed, and Ehrlich has indicated that he will sign it despite pressure from the White House drug policy chief. Although the Baltimore County Republican lost his reelection bid last fall, he deserves credit for the state's recognition of the value of medical marijuana. (snip) - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart