Pubdate: Sat, 10 May 2003
Source: Frederick News Post (MD)
Copyright: 2003 Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing Company
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http://www.fredericknewspost.com/contact/contactfinalnew.cfm?contact=letters
Website: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/814
Author: Erin Hildebrandt

TIME RUNNING OUT FOR EHRLICH TO SIGN MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The deadline is fast approaching, and Gov. Robert Ehrlich must decide 
whether to sign Maryland's medical marijuana bill into law. To my 
amazement, he is facing pressure from some special interest groups to veto 
this measure.

The Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act is a modest first step toward 
protecting our most weak and vulnerable citizens. As a patient who has both 
used and suffered without medical marijuana, I know that it is both safe 
and effective. Crohn's disease had left me completely disabled until I 
discovered the benefits of using marijuana to treat my condition. After 
exhausting the drugs my doctors could give me, and even enduring useless 
surgical treatments, marijuana gave me back my life.

The bill now before Gov. Ehrlich does not legalize marijuana for anyone. In 
fact, medical marijuana patients will still face arrest if they are caught. 
What this bill does do is bring back honesty to our courts by allowing a 
defendant to tell the whole truth. Isn't this something we should have been 
doing all along? In addition, it will allow our judges the flexibility to 
avoid sending a young mother like myself to prison for nothing more than 
choosing to use an herbal remedy. With an already stretched state budget, I 
would argue our tax dollars could be far better spent.

Please contact Gov. Ehrlich today and ask him to sign the medical marijuana 
bill.

ERIN HILDEBRANDT

Sharpsburg
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens