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REPUBLICAN 'NANNY STATE'

I'm writing about David Crisp's: "Here's how Democrats can win in November" ( July 20 ).

It seems to me that Democrats should make a major issue of the federal medical marijuana ban.  Polls show that the vast majority of voters favor the legalization of marijuana for medical use.

The Hinchey-Rohrabacher Bill would have prevented the Department of Justice from using tax dollars to prosecute medical-marijuana patients in states where medical marijuana is legal.

The bill failed because only 18 Republican from the U.S.  House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill.  It seems like a major inconsistency for so-called conservative Republicans to say that they oppose "nanny state" policies, yet support our drug criminalization policies.

What could be more "pro-nanny state" than our government dictating what substances adult citizens may or may not consume - even in the privacy of their own homes?

Today our government tells us which recreational drugs we may or may not consume.  Note that Viagra is OK, but marijuana is not.  Note that tobacco is OK, but marijuana is not.

Tomorrow our nanny-state government will tell us which foods we may or may not eat.  For our own good and protection, of course.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.