Pubdate: Wed, 21 May 2003
Source: Associated Press (Wire)
Copyright: 2003 Associated Press
Author:  Larry Margasak, Associated Press Writer

HOUSE GOP TARGETS MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATES

Washington --  House Republicans are pressing for legislation that would 
strip federal anti-drug money from local police in states that have passed 
medical marijuana laws.

The overall legislation, which would keep the White House drug policy 
office in business for another five years, would also allow the office to 
run ads opposing medical marijuana initiatives.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said both provisions 
were initiated in Congress, but they clearly reflect the Bush 
administration's strong desire to strictly enforce marijuana laws. Federal 
law does not permit legalization for medical use, although eight states 
allow it.

Tom Riley, spokesman for White House drug policy director John Walters, 
said: "One of the duties of the drug czar is to oppose efforts to legalize 
drugs. There's a concern in Congress that marijuana is more harmful than 
most people perceive. They want to make sure this agency keeps a focus on 
that."

Walters has traveled the country to speak out against easing marijuana 
laws, but Riley said there were no issue-oriented ads planned. However, he 
added, "We want as much flexibility as possible."

The House Government Reform Committee was expected to approve the 
legislation Thursday, with an amendment prohibiting ads expressly 
advocating support or defeat of a candidate or ballot question.

Groups opposed to strict criminal enforcement of marijuana laws said more 
than $11 million could be eliminated from state and local police budgets in 
"high-intensity" drug trafficking areas. The money would go to federal law 
enforcement officers on the grounds that local police would not be able to 
enforce marijuana laws.

The House bill is sponsored by Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., chairman of the 
House Government Reform criminal justice subcommittee. His staff director, 
Chris Donesa, said the switch is needed because the federal government 
would take on an added burden, but emphasized the money would be used in 
the same high-intensity areas.

Donesa added that local and federal officers work together in those areas 
anyway, so there would be little practical effect.

Steve Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project said his group was especially 
concerned about the possibility of huge advertising expenditures by the 
White House in an attempt to influence elections.

"This leaves them free to run ads saying medicinal marijuana is a lie and a 
ploy to legalize marijuana for all purposes," he said.

Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance called the potential issue 
advertising "a shell game. It would take money from taxpayers and most 
taxpayers will see through it."

Piper said the reallocation of money to federal officers would move the 
focus from heroin and cocaine trafficking to enforcement against medical 
marijuana patients.

The states with medical marijuana laws are Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, 
Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada and Maine.

Voters last November defeated a Nevada measure to legalize possession of up 
to three ounces of marijuana; an Arizona initiative that would have made 
pot possession equivalent to a traffic violation; and a South Dakota 
initiative that would have legalized hemp farms.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom