Pubdate: Thu, 04 Nov 1999 Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Copyright: 1999 San Jose Mercury News Contact: 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190 Fax: (408) 271-3792 Website: http://www.sjmercury.com/ MEDICAL MARIJUANA - MAINE ENLIGHTENS UP So far it's mostly a coastal thing, but the relaxed attitude about medical marijuana is spreading. Voters in Maine endorsed its use by a 60-40 margin. They join voters in California, Alaska, Oregon, Washington and, moving inland, Arizona. Nevada is halfway through a two-step process of approval. We suspect the trend is based on two factors. One is a conviction that people suffering from cancer, or other diseases for which marijuana offers relief from pain or spasms, should have the right to decide for themselves what remedies to use. Second is a feeling that marijuana is not the menace that the warriors who lead the drug war want us to believe it is. Count Maine as sane in the fight against pain. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea