ANNAPOLIS (AP) -- The Court of Special Appeals has reversed the drug conviction of Chris Nieves, ruling that police obtained evidence during an unconstitutional strip-search of the Washington County man. Mr. Nieves had been sentenced to 10 years in prison after bags of crack cocaine were found in his rectum. A unanimous ruling last week by a three-judge panel said any search is an invasion of an individual's privacy, "but a strip search procedure flies in the face of individual privacy rights. Strip searches, moreover, particularly intrude upon the individual's sanctity of his own body." [continues 306 words]
MAYBE IT'S something in the air, or in the eggnog; with any luck it's contagious. Common sense seems to be busting out all over during this pre-holiday week. A series of unrelated decisions on environmental and health matters by both federal courts and regulatory agencies should combine to make the season a bit brighter - for most, though probably not all, involved. Most surprising - and thus especially welcome - comes President Bush's decision to abandon plans to strip millions of acres of wetlands of federal protection, which would have left them prey to development. The reversal was credited to a storm of public protest, convincing the administration that Americans care deeply about these shoreline areas that play a critical role in water quality and wildlife habitat, and don't want them filled in to become housing projects. [continues 332 words]
The fight to preserve democracy in Maryland is being waged from a sunset pink room on the second floor of an orange house in Takoma Park, where a gray cat named Handsome sleeps soundly on the batik-draped sofa. The freedom fighters, Linda Schade and Kevin Zeese, pad about the house in their stocking feet and jeans, firing off e-mails and calling state legislators and warning citizens that the new, ATM-like voting machines that are becoming all the rage are, in fact, quite nefarious. [continues 638 words]
Md. Patients Desperate for Relief From Symptoms Worry About Arrest, Image Joan Holland's pain finally received a name in 1988, the summer she went to the beach with her husband and two little girls and kept getting knocked over by the waves. It was diagnosed as multiple sclerosis. Over the years, the retired schoolteacher has tried seemingly everything, from the traditional to the admittedly wacky, to find even a little bit of comfort. She had her mercury fillings removed from her teeth, after learning they might be linked to autoimmune problems. She got treatment in a hyperbaric chamber, after hearing that a man in Florida may have quelled his symptoms with extra oxygen infusions. For two years, she even kept a beehive in her Jessup back yard and subjected herself to three dozen bee stings three times a week, feeling the venom gave her more mobility. [continues 1203 words]
OxyContin tablets are shown on the counter of the Catonsville pharmacy. When crushed, the pills deliver a powerful narcotic high. For patients suffering from cancer, tooth decay, surgery or a variety of other medical conditions, the prescription narcotic OxyContin can be a godsend. But for an increasing number of Marylanders, this controlled-release form of the analgesic oxycodone is a substitute for its most notorious chemical relative, heroin. "It's a very powerful narcotic that you can become addicted to very quickly," said Preston Grubbs, commenting last week as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent in charge of DEA's Baltimore district office. [continues 1213 words]
CUMBERLAND - Local efforts in this year's Red Ribbon Week Campaign, a nationally recognized initiative to promote the prevention of substance use and abuse that primarily targets youth, are concentrated in South Cumberland. The Allegany County Health Department Substance Abuse Prevention Program is helping with the campaign along with the CARE Team. The South Cumberland Business Association, John Humbird Elementary School, South Penn Elementary School and Washington Middle School are among the groups participating in the events. Business association members will display We Support Red Ribbon Week posters and wear red ribbons at their places of business. As the sponsor of the annual Halloween Parade, the group decorated the judge's stand with a red ribbon banner and allowed ribbons to be distributed to interested participants and spectators. [continues 388 words]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- In one corner, weighing in with his reputation as a conservative spokesman behind him, syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams. And in another corner, weighing in as director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington legislative office and member of one of Baltimore's most prominent black families, Laura W. Murphy. The contestants squared off Monday night in the Turner Recital Hall of Vanderbilt University. The weapons were ideas and words, not boxing gloves. The ring was a stage, and the match a debate on the topic "Is the War on Terrorism Abroad an Assault on Democracy at Home?" Betty Baye, a columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal, was the referee. [continues 662 words]
WASHINGTON - It was a small step for the Supreme Court, but one giant leap toward a sane drug policy. I'm talking about the high court's refusal Tuesday to hear the Bush administration's appeal of a lower court ruling allowing doctors to recommend the medicinal use of marijuana to their patients. Had the Supreme Court decided to hear the case, it would have had a golden opportunity to rip the innards out of laws various states have already passed to legalize or decriminalize the medicinal use of marijuana. [continues 697 words]
The supreme court sent a strong signal yesterday that it agrees with those who think the federal anti-marijuana campaign has gone overboard. In an attempt to thwart the growing movement toward legalizing marijuana for medical use, federal officials sought to yank prescription licenses from physicians who recommend or even discuss the potential benefits of the drug with patients. But the high court refused yesterday to even listen to arguments about why it should overturn an appeals court ruling blocking punishment or investigation of such doctors. [continues 302 words]
ANNAPOLIS -- Medical marijuana smokers can breathe a little easier. Parents have to put their children in booster seats at least until they turn 6. And breastfeeding moms no longer have to skulk to a bathroom stall to feed their babies. Those were a few of the nearly 300 new Maryland laws that took effect Wednesday. Under the new medical marijuana law, smoking a joint is still a crime, but if a defendant can prove to a judge that they had a medical necessity to smoke the weed, the maximum penalty is a $100 fine. Critics of the law say it will encourage illegal drug use. But backers say that marijuana can relieve nausea and pain, and that it makes no sense to arrest cancer patients or those with chronic illnesses who are trying to alleviate their suffering. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) signed the law and long has backed legalization of medical marijuana, setting him apart from the national Republican Party and the Bush administration, which lobbied hard for a veto. [end]
Another new law that has gotten a lot of attention will significantly reduce penalties for seriously ill Marylanders who are caught smoking marijuana if they can convince a court they have a medical need. They would face a $100 fine and no jail time. After much debate, the House and Senate passed the bill, and Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. signed it into law despite lobbying from the White House to veto it. "The net effect is for people suffering from terminal diseases, if they use marijuana, they have a lot less fear of going to jail," said Del. Dan K. Morhaim, a Democrat from Baltimore County and a co-sponsor of the bill. [continues 83 words]
New Law's Reach An Open Question Silver Spring lawyer Jonathan L. Katz considers it a defense attorney's dream: A Maryland law taking effect today allows anyone convicted of possessing marijuana to argue for a drastically reduced sentence if the drug was used for medical purposes. "How many people out there don't have any kind of physical pain that marijuana might alleviate?" asked Katz, who specializes in defending people charged with marijuana-related offenses. "People with sports injuries and back injuries. For people with asthma, marijuana can help breathing. For anorexics, it can help stimulate the appetite. There are a whole bunch of people who like marijuana who can now try to use this defense." [continues 1034 words]
ANNAPOLIS -- Beginning Wednesday, children under age 6 will be required to use booster seats when traveling on Maryland highways once they have outgrown child safety seats. The law mandating use of booster seats is one of dozens of new laws that take effect Oct. 1. "It will save lives by closing a gap in Maryland's child-passenger-safety laws," said state Delegate William A. Bronrott, Montgomery County Democrat and one of the sponsors of the law. "Because highway crashes are the major cause of death and disabling injuries of children, there is nothing more important that we can do than ensure that children of this age group are properly protected," he said. [continues 500 words]
Medical Marijuana, Booster Seats Among Maryland Mandates ANNAPOLIS -- Beginning Wednesday, children under age 6 will be required to use booster seats when traveling on Maryland highways once they have outgrown their child safety seats. The law mandating use of booster seats is one of dozens of new laws that take effect Oct. 1. "It will save lives by closing a gap in Maryland's child passenger safety laws," Delegate William Bronrott, one of the sponsors of the new law, said Friday. [continues 540 words]
Members Hope Message Reaches Community LAVALE -- Randy Davis died from alcohol poisoning on March 16, 2003. But the beer bottles that often litter her son's gravesite tell Dorothy Davis that some of his friends still haven't gotten the message about the realities of alcohol and drug abuse. "At the funeral we also found quite a few joints in his casket and some notes saying, 'if we just could have had one more party with you,'" said Davis. "That tells me some of these kids are just not getting the message." [continues 668 words]
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University who last year published a frightening and controversial report suggesting that a single evening's use of the illicit drug ecstasy could cause permanent brain damage and Parkinson's disease are retracting their research in its entirety, saying the drug they used in their experiments was not ecstasy after all. The retraction, to be published in next Friday's issue of the journal Science, has reignited a smoldering and sometimes angry debate over the risks and benefits of the drug, also known as MDMA. [continues 259 words]
BALTIMORE - Darrell Brooks stood at the front of a courtroom, tears streaming down his cheeks, and choked out an apology. He had killed seven people, five of them children, and now he said he felt sorry. "I will never, ever, as long as there is breath in my lungs, ever forgive myself," he said last Wednesday. "I knew those kids. I loved them. I swear I didn't mean it, I swear." The lanky Mr. Brooks was off to prison for life for burning down a house full of people last October, a crime that seared the heart of this city and blasted a signal that things in Baltimore were still out of control. [continues 1851 words]
BETHESDA, Md. - The road from Dr. Nora Volkow's childhood home in Mexico to the director's office at the National Institute on Drug Abuse here was surprisingly short and straight. From the time she entered medical school, at 18, Dr. Volkow devoted herself to the study of addiction. A research psychiatrist known for her brain-imaging studies, she has published hundreds of papers, including many that demonstrate how dopamine, a brain chemical linked to pleasure and motivation, plays a major role in addictions of all kinds: to drugs, to alcohol and even, some say, to food. [continues 1176 words]
BETHESDA, Md. - The road from Dr. Nora Volkow's childhood home in Mexico to the director's office at the National Institute on Drug Abuse was surprisingly short and straight. From the time she entered medical school, at 18, Dr. Volkow devoted herself to the study of addiction. A research psychiatrist known for her brain-imaging studies, she has published hundreds of papers, including many that demonstrate how dopamine, a brain chemical linked to pleasure and motivation, plays a major role in addictions of all kinds: to drugs, to alcohol and even, some say, to food. Two oversize computer screens, perfect for viewing PET scan images, stand on the desk in her office; even with her new leadership role, she intends to continue her own research. [continues 1085 words]
SHE WOULD get up in the morning about 5:30 so there'd be enough time before work to take the first of her medications, figure out what she could tolerate for breakfast, and then deal with the inevitable side effects: the nausea, the diarrhea. Compared to other women she knew with HIV, Roslyn was lucky; she didn't require a noontime dose that would make her sleepy, nor did she have to keep her condition a secret from her employer, a medical facility more sympathetic about such matters than most -- though she didn't want her full name in print. [continues 467 words]
HE DOESN'T have Arnold's biceps (yet), but he's Baltimore's heavy lifter, the star of our own election carnival. Unstoppable on the road to re-election, Mayor Martin O'Malley has nevertheless begun the sort of media campaign a candidate like Arnold Schwarzenegger needs to prevail in California's recall brawl, an all-comers affair complete with ladies' night and movie stars. Mr. O'Malley's going to win big here in the Sept. 9 Democratic primary, though he may not be any more daring than Mr. Schwarzenegger, whose campaign so far has been marked by a refusal to answer questions. Maybe they have some controversial ideas, but ideas are dangerous and don't count as much as money and star power. [continues 669 words]
When the Dawson family was firebombed to death in Baltimore, the shock and outrage rippled across the city and the nation. The cry: "Never again." That law-abiding people - and their children - should die as a result of doing their community duty was appalling. That criminals could rule a neighborhood and impose their own brand of "justice" on residents was terrifying. These killings, as well as the continuing attrition in the city's hardest communities, have spurred officials to seek extra help in maintaining order and keeping residents safe. The latest is the Dawson Family Community Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, which would set aside federal money for services in targeted Baltimore neighborhoods. [continues 402 words]
CHICAGO - Heroin addiction is a regrettable condition, and there are lots of theories about how to help people overcome it. But it is a truism, not a theory, that you can't help addicts once they are dead. Step 1 in assisting or even forcing heroin users into more socially productive behavior is keeping them alive. This elementary insight is one resisted by many supporters of the drug war. They fear that if we reduce the risk of gruesome death from injecting heroin or other drugs, everyone this side of Hilary Duff will soon be lying in a gutter with a needle in her arm. [continues 667 words]
Gov. Robert Ehrlich deserves praise for some of his decisions this year, such as signing our medical marijuana bill into law. However, I must agree with Bay Weekly that "Gutting Smart Growth [is] a dumb idea" [Vol. XI, No. 27: Editorial, July 3] and hope he will not continue to let this happen. You stated, "Unfortunately, libertarianism doesn't work when it comes to protecting Chesapeake Bay." A good friend recently told me that the Green Party is made of more humane Libertarians, and I'm coming to believe this is an accurate description. My main objection to Libertarian philosophies is that they feel colder and lacking in compassion at times. [continues 200 words]
WHEN TEXAS Gov. Rick Perry signed legislation last month to provide treatment instead of incarceration for thousands of Texans convicted of drug possession, he was in excellent company. In fact, Republican governors around the country have taken the lead in carefully and sensibly reforming criminal justice and drug policies. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is in an excellent position to join his colleagues in improving public safety and saving taxpayer's dollars in the process. Like so many Nixons going to China, Republican policy-makers are rethinking prison expenditures for nonviolent and drug offenders and changing public policy. In 2001 alone, there were prison closures in six states: Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kansas and Utah, all of which were governed by Republicans. [continues 598 words]
To the Editor: Although often well-intentioned, printing such silly propaganda about our nation's "war" on some drugs, is misguided at best. With the most sincere naivete, "Not Here" stated, "...the raid sends a shockwave signal through the drug dealing community, reaching all the way to the streets of Baltimore and New York." So 25 people were arrested. This does not mean any of them were guilty of the crimes for which they've been charged! Unless our laws which prioritize "innocent until proven guilty" have been nullified, I believe they still apply to people accused of drug law violations. [continues 145 words]
Thank you for your contribution "Drug of Choice" (Mobtown Beat, June 25) to help bring needed credible drug-law reform. Any drug-law reform must include cannabis and the need to put cannabis into the correct drug schedule, since it is not a substance with no medical value. Polls show 40 percent of Americans support cannabis (marijuana) legalization and 70-plus percent support decriminalization, and that number is growing because of education. Biblically, medically, and recreationally, many citizens use cannabis responsibly and are tired of various forms of government discrimination and deceit directed toward them. [continues 73 words]
Having testified in support of Maryland's medical marijuana bill, I disagree with Tom Riley ("Marijuana fight to be continued," July 2) that resubmitting our legislation is a "Trojan horse" for legalizing drugs. My interest in this issue is personal. Before turning to cannabis, I tried dozens of dangerous drugs, prescribed by my doctors, to ease the symptoms of Crohn's disease. Even if one of the more dangerous drugs had worked, why should I be arrested for choosing what DEA Law Judge Francis Young characterized as the "safest therapeutically active substance known to man"? [continues 173 words]
I am responding to the last paragraph in your July 3 editorial on drug use, "Everyone's problem," asking for inventive new strategies. I make this proposal: that this nation repeal its laws against these drugs. This would save us about $40 billion a year in direct state and federal costs. We could release about a million prisoners. There would be a backlash as the drug cartels went into other forms of extortion, just as they did in 1933. We have experimented with ever tougher police work; the problems have gotten worse. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, hoping for a different result. We learned this lesson in 13 short years, from 1920 to 1933. It did not make alcohol safe. The traffic death toll from alcohol is approximately 20,000 per year today. What is the traffic death toll from marijuana? About zero. Adamstown [end]
I write in response to "Drug of Choice" by Jamil Roberts (Mobtown Beat, June 25). While I agree with most of the findings and recommendations of Baltimore's 2003 Grand Jury Report, which suggests a two-prong economic solution to the drug epidemic in Maryland, I think the citizens of Baltimore would be confused without some clarification of the facts and a formal call for officials to actually implement these recommendations. First of all, the Grand Jury is suggesting (just as they have in past years) that the demand side of drug abuse be reduced though a "continuum of care" provided to existing addicts, while the supply side of drug sales be reduced by removing drugs from the black market and providing them medically to addicts (not legalization), effectively dropping the market price of drugs and eliminating the majority of profit for criminal organizations and drug dealers, while making treatment and recovery safer and cheaper for addicts. These suggestions are all fine and good, and as an economist they seem ideal, but this 2003 recommendation by the Grand Jury is the same perfectly reasonable and logical solution for the city of Baltimore that it was in 1995, when the grand jury made the same recommendations, only without specifics. [continues 308 words]
Medical marijuana advocates say there are two key reasons the drug is so difficult to legalize for sick people at the federal level: Money and politics. Maryland recently became the ninth state to pass a law that would relax punishment of people caught with marijuana, provided they can prove they are using it for medical reasons. "As more and more states get on board, the feds are going to have to do something. They just can't arrest everyone in every state," said Donald Murphy, chairman of the Baltimore County Republican party. As a state delegate, he championed legislation that would have legalized medical marijuana. [continues 842 words]
The ink is still wet on a bill drastically reducing the penalties for possessing marijuana, but even as it dries, proponents are gearing up for another protracted fight in the next Maryland General Assembly session to finish the job on a law they say is incomplete. Under the Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act, which goes into effect Oct. 1, users still face a penalty. And the drug is still illegal for medicinal use. Patients using the drug, however, should not face arrest. [continues 1199 words]
CUMBERLAND -- Most of the major crimes that have occurred recently in Allegany County have been drug-related in some form or another, and area law enforcement agencies are "doing the best they can" to get drug dealers off the streets, according to Det. Sgt. Jim Pyles of the Combined County Criminal Investigation unit (C3I). Pyles, who was in charge of Friday's city-wide sweep which netted 25 suspected drug dealers all over Cumberland, spoke about Friday's raids and Cumberland's drug problem in general Sunday afternoon during a public forum sponsored by the Cumberland Ministerial Association. [continues 539 words]
GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON GRAND JURY REPORT RECOMMENDING LEGAL DISTRIBUTION OF NARCOTICS The Maryland General Assembly's Special Committee on Substance Abuse will hold a hearing in early July based on the findings of a 2003 Baltimore City Grand Jury Report that suggests new ways for the justice system to deal with drug-addicted defendants--including legal distribution of controlled substances. The hearing comes only two months after Gov. Robert Ehrlich became the nation's first Republican governor to sign a medical-marijuana bill into law. The committee, chaired by Sen. Ralph Hughes (D-40th), will consider the grand jury's findings and recommendations, as well as the opinions of those both for and against drug reform, to determine the need for new legislation and programs to handle drug-related crime and problems. Among other things, the grand jury--made up of 23 Baltimore residents--recommended providing comprehensive care for substance abusers, diverting drug-addicted individuals to treatment rather than incarceration, making use of criminal citations rather than arrests for certain crimes, and exploring the idea of legal, regulated distribution of narcotics. [continues 748 words]
Rakes Says The Facility Won't Help Oakland Mills Overcome Negative Views; Site Would Dispense Methadone; Columbia Panel Member Russell Says Center Would Be Too Close To 3 Schools Two Columbia elected officials are protesting next month's scheduled opening of an Oakland Mills drug and alcohol treatment center that will dispense methadone. Howard County Councilman David A. Rakes and Columbia Councilwoman Barbara Russell say the clinic's location in a residential area near three schools would be detrimental to the village. [continues 764 words]
SALISBURY -- A woman stands by her drug dealer when she stumbles to his door to buy marijuana. She suffers from multiple sclerosis and is in excruciating pain. The dealer sells her the drug for the pain. Their bond, though knotted by years of supply and demand, is built on trust. Ironically, a new law intended to protect people who use marijuana as medicine makes the woman uneasy. The law, signed last month by Gov. Robert Ehrlich, imposes a maximum $100 fine for medical marijuana users. The Darrell Putman law relaxes the current state penalty for marijuana possession -- up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. [continues 906 words]
To the editor: I disagree with Tim Rowland's assessment "Hypochondriacs may benefit from marijuana bill" (May 29). Biblically, medically and recreationally, many citizens use cannabis (marijuana) responsibly and are tired of various forms of government and media discrimination and deceit directed toward them. It's time to end those discriminations. It is the hope of many Americans to end the evil practice of caging humans for using the plant cannabis and that would include allowing citizens to grow cannabis again. Prohibiting man from access to cannabis is uncivilized, not just to me but to Christ God our father, the ecologician, who sent me. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
RE: "Our view: Marijuana bill right on target." June 1 This Daily Times editorial has much in it that causes considerable thought. I have been both an observer and a participant in the drug wars since the 1930s, on the side of the drug users, of course. In the 30's Hitler tried to stamp out drug use in Germany through the Fascist tactic of prohibition. This is same tactic I have fought against almost all my life. Drugs themselves were never an issue with me. [continues 268 words]
In Signing This Legislation, Ehrlich Kept Another Promise Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich added another star to his "did what I said I would" column when he signed legislation that would permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Approving the measure was controversial, especially among his Republican brethren, and could cause problems down the road for Ehrlich. The new law sharply reduces the penalty for marijuana possession when the defendant is seeking relief from symptoms of cancer, AIDS and other devastating illnesses. In his supporting comments, the new governor made clear his belief that even those people opposed to marijuana decriminalization differentiate between legalizing the drug and allowing those dying of chronic illnesses to alleviate their pain. [continues 245 words]
To the editor: According to Joe McGeeney, ("Ehrlich signs controversial medical marijuana bill," May 22) "It's sending the wrong message to our kids that it's OK to use because there is medicinal powers. Other states that have approved (similar bills) have seen a sharp increase in the youth smoking marijuana." McGeeney must be unaware that 47 percent of Maryland's 12th graders admit to having experimented with marijuana. Californians have enjoyed almost a 10 percent reduction - down to 34 percent - of teen use since 1996, when California legalized medical marijuana. Clearly, kids choose to abuse "drugs" more often than they abuse "medicines." [continues 253 words]
Michael Olesker's column "Marijuana law makes a humane distinction" (May 25) brought me to tears. I've sat with doctors, tiptoeing around the same subject with some, completely avoiding the word marijuana with others. I've also laid, doubled over in my bed, sobbing, and knowing that no doctor in this state could give me a medicine that would help me feel better. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is to be commended for courageously signing our medical marijuana bill. He lived up to his campaign promise to protect the patients of Maryland, and I'm very grateful to him for his honorable stand on this issue. Still, this bill is the smallest step toward justice and common sense. We need to be free to be honest with our health care providers. Honesty is a foundation for that terribly intimate relationship, yet we're afraid our doctors will deny us care or turn us in if we tell them we've used marijuana. I'm grateful I won't have to go to jail. Is it too much to ask that I not be arrested, either? Erin Hildebrandt Smithsburg [end]
Is Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. part of a secret cabal devoted to the legalization of marijuana? The governor's office says no, but Joyce Nalepka, a hard-charging anti-drug activist from Silver Spring, is growing increasingly worried. For weeks, Nalepka lobbied the administration to veto a bill that makes Maryland the ninth state in the nation to ease penalties on those who use marijuana to relieve suffering from cancer and other serious conditions. When word spread that Ehrlich intended to sign the measure, Nalepka showed up at the May 22 bill-signing ceremony to register her protest. [continues 369 words]
Gee, I don't know what it is, but I'm feeling a little blind this morning - someone want to hand me a bong? Now that Gov. Robert Ehrlich has signed the medical marijuana bill, you have to wonder if the state of Maryland is about to suffer an extreme and mysterious increase in the instances of glaucoma. I suffer from the gout on occasion, perhaps I can visit my friendly, neighborhood physician and parlay it into a little weed. Speaking of smoking something, I hope you have been keeping up with our Washington County Legislative Delegation Alumni Association. [continues 595 words]
MD. Becomes 9th State To Reduce Penalties For Medical Use Of Drug ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. ignored pressures from the White House drug office and signed legislation that significantly reduces criminal penalties for people with AIDS and others who smoke marijuana to mitigate their pain. The law, which takes effect Oct. 1, will allow individuals using marijuana for medicinal purposes to make a "medical necessity" defense against charges of marijuana possession. If caught, users will now only pay a fine of no more than $100; previously, they faced a maximum penalty of a year in prison and/or a $1,000 fine. [continues 976 words]
For Michael, who buys his wife marijuana to treat her severe colitis, the medical marijuana bill signed into law last week by Gov. Robert Ehrlich does little to ease his mind about breaking the law. "I'm happy that there is some movement to make this available to people who need it," said the Baltimore County resident, who asked not to be directly identified because of his fear of being arrested, "but it doesn't give me a sense of security." [continues 513 words]
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s decision to sign the medical marijuana legislation was absolutely appropriate ("Ehrlich also endorses medical marijuana bill," May 23), especially since the state of Maryland is among the highest in the nation for cancer deaths. A cancer patient's quality of life suffers tremendously. If marijuana contributes to any improvement in a cancer patient's quality of life then by all means he or she should be allowed to use it without fear or guilt. What I don't understand is the big hoopla by the Bush administration that this is the first step toward drug legalization. Marijuana is no more dangerous or addictive than legal drugs. Just because a drug is legal does not make it safe. Julia Dietz Abingdon [end]
Police are looking for people in Carroll County who fit a certain description: children between the ages of 10 and 13. They want the youngsters to attend Camp COPS, which will run from July 7 through 11 at the Carroll County Farm Museum. COPS stands for Courage to be Outstanding with Pride and Self-confidence. The camp is run by the Maryland State Police, with help from the Carroll County sheriff's office and the Westminster Police. The goal, according to Trooper First Class Mark Rauser, is to give young people an inside view of what law enforcement officers do. [continues 390 words]
That day in Sinai Hospital's emergency room, the old man clutched Dr. Dan Morhaim's arm and tried to break through all of the years of drug laws, and misinformation and mystique, and his own cancer. "Doc," he said, "have you ever had motion sickness?" "Yes," said Morhaim, "I have." He remembers the old man was weak and nauseated and ravaged by the combination of cancer and chemotherapy, and he was weighing his words cautiously. "Ever had seasickness?" the old man asked. [continues 800 words]
ANNAPOLIS -- Gov. Robert Ehrlich signed a medical marijuana bill Thursday, reducing the criminal penalties for patients who use the drug to reduce severe pain. After a flurry of vetoes the day before, Mr. Ehrlich also endorsed legislation enabling local school boards to allow charter schools. Supporters praised the signing of the Darrell Putnam Compassionate Use Act, which provides a total $100 fine and no jail time for marijuana possession if proof of medical necessity is offered. The act is named for a former Green Beret who used marijuana in the waning years of his terminal cancer. [continues 640 words]
Refusing to bend to pressure from the Bush administration, Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich signed a bill Thursday that reduces criminal penalties for seriously ill people who smoke marijuana. Ehrlich is the first GOP governor to sign a bill protecting medical marijuana patients from jail, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. [end]
Inside Maryland
