Pubdate: Mon, 04 May 1998
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) 
Contact:  
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ 

A USEFUL HERB

Editor -- How can we know if something works unless we try it? Nearly two
years ago 6 million Californians expressed their desire to try legalizing
the use of medical marijuana when they passed Proposition 215. We asked our
government to trust us -- they refused. We do not know if Prop. 215 works.
We have not been allowed to implement it.

The federal government insults us by trying to convince us that using
marijuana according to the tenets of 215 violates federal law. The Tenth
Amendment very clearly shows that laws passed by the people supersede those
passed by the federal government, with the exception of those specific
powers granted to them in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution.

Our state attorney general and governor are guilty of complicity in this
insult upon the people of California by their refusal to allow the
implementation of 215. Are they afraid that 215 might work? If it works,
fine, we can forgive our government for their ``War on Drugs'' hysteria. If
215 doesn't work, then it will quickly be relegated to the dustbin of
history. But we will never know unless we try it.

It's spring and this useful herb should be sprouting in back yards and
flower pots throughout California. An honest government that respected its
peoples wishes would ensure that 215 would be implemented exactly as the
people wrote it and voted for it. Trust us is all we ask -- is that so much?

AUGUST SALEMI

Atascadero