Supreme Court and medical marijuana
Re: “Justices say feds can prosecute use of marijuana by state-OK’d patients,” June 7 news story.
So let me get this straight: it’s OK for President Bush to smoke pot, for Newt Gringrich to smoke pot, for former President Clinton to smoke pot, for former Vice President Gore to smoke pot, but it’s not OK for a dying cancer patient to smoke pot to help with his appetite. It’s a hypocritical world we live in.
Jeffery Blustein, Denver
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The new Supreme Court ruling on medical marijuana underscores how ridiculous the failed policy of marijuana prohibition is. It is now OK to use our tax dollars to protect the profits of the black market.
If the members of the Supreme Court, who ruled in favor of federal interference in state decisions on medical marijuana, were “normal citizens,” they would be charged with conspiracy to promote distribution of a controlled substance. The ruling essentially results in the federal government protecting the profits of illegal interstate cannabis merchants from any drop in price that would result from local production and consumption. At the same time, this ruling may increase the cost to medical users.
How can the government promote this absurdity?
As federalism expands, our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness decrease.
Dr. Robert Melamede, Associate Professor and Chairman, BiologyDepartment, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
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The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow the federal government to continue arresting patients who are using medical marijuana legally under state law amounts to a death sentence for many of these sick individuals.
Coloradans showed their compassionate support of medical marijuana patients by overwhelmingly passing Amendment 20 in 2000, and it is inexcusable that federal agents now have the power to punish these patients who we were trying to safeguard.
Angel Raich, who sued U. S. Attorney General John Ashcroft for her right to use her medicine, asked, “Since when did being permanently disabled become a crime in the United States of America?”
The bottom line is that we need to protect sick and dying patients like Raich and those here in Colorado from being imprisoned for merely taking their medicine.
Rachael Matier, Telluride
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When are we going to come to our senses about marijuana? People find it helpful, it’s very low cost, it’s not addictive, and it’s never killed anyone (which is more than the drug companies can say about their products). What is our hang-up? Let’s see – I can smoke myself to death on addictive cigarettes, I can drink myself into oblivion and accidentally kill others or myself, but I can’t smoke pot and relieve my pain. It’s beyond absurd – it’s downright stupid!
Audrey Brodt, Littleton
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Prescription drug bill
Re: “Governor wields veto pen on prescription-drug bills,” June 2 Denver & The West.
Kudos to Gov. Bill Owens for vetoing Senate Bill 102. The bill may have had some beneficial features, but it would have also established a list of approved medications for which Medicaid would pay. Peoples’ access to other medications that their doctors may have determined to be the best treatment would have been limited. This would have adversely affected the treatment for people with major mental illness, most of whom are totally dependent upon Medicaid.
Thank you, Gov. Owens.
Carol Van Lew, Centennial
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‘Super Slab’ approved
Re: “Vetoes propel ‘Super Slab’; Owens paves toll road’s way,” June 7 Page 1 story.
It is a dark day for Colorado. By vetoing SB 230 and HB 1342, Gov. Bill Owens has paved the way for construction of the Front Range Toll Road. Without these laws as protections, a private corporation can seize any land in the state it chooses to build a toll road. There is no government or environmental review.
The issue is not whether or not we need a toll road. The issue is: Does private property mean anything? By overwhelming majorities, both houses of the legislature said “yes.” Owens says “no.” He is wrong.
We must put plans in place to fight this legally and at the ballot box.
Ken Beckrich, Elbert
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