Pubdate: Sat, 5 Apr 2008
Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA)
Copyright: 2008 North County Times
Contact:  http://www.nctimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080
Note: Gives LTE priority to North San Diego County and Southwest 
Riverside County residents
Author: Tony Klabunde

STOP THE INSANITY ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I live in Encinitas, and my congressman is Brian Bilbray, who has
voted in favor of continuing to waste our valuable tax dollars in
rounding up and incarcerating patients for following the advice of
their doctors: that medical marijuana could ease their ailments. Just
last month, the American College of Physicians ... released a position
paper urging the federal government to stop arresting medical
marijuana patients. Other prestigious medical organizations that have
gone on the record in support of medical marijuana include the
Institute of Medicine, American Public Health Association, Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society, American Nurses Association, American Academy of HIV
Medicine and The New England Journal of Medicine.

A 2005 Gallup Poll established that 78 percent of American citizens
support medical marijuana legislation, and it has never been defeated
on a state ballot.

Rep. Bilbray will have an opportunity to amend his mistake during 2008
budgets hearings by voting in favor of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher
Amendment, which would protect patients and doctors from senseless
imprisonment. Rep. Bilbray, if you won't listen to the people's will,
then please listen to the strong consensus within the medical
community and stop the politics of insanity. We have better things to
spend our money on.

Tony Klabunde

Encinitas
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake