Hinchey supports medical marijuana

Applauds move to let it be

By FRITZ MAYER

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered its lawyers not to prosecute people who use medical marijuana in states where the practice is legal. On October 19, Congressman Maurice Hinchey released a statement saying he fully supports the policy.

Hinchey, who has led an effort in Congress to allow the use of medical marijuana, has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives in the past that would have prevented DOJ from spending any funds to prosecute medical marijuana use.

In a statement he said, “Today, common sense won out over ideological stubbornness as our nation’s law enforcement agency formally adopted a new and well-balanced policy on medical marijuana use. Across the country, individual states have enacted laws that allow individuals who are sick and suffering to use medical marijuana with a doctor’s prescription only to have DOJ officials arrest and prosecute them anyway.

“It is unconscionable that the federal government had previously sought to not only deny, but arrest and prosecute, medical marijuana patients who are using the drug in accordance with state law to relieve pain and nausea associated with debilitating illnesses such as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.”

As of now, there are 14 states that allow some use of medical marijuana, and three states in the Northeast are considering moves in that direction.

In Pennsylvania, representative Mark Cohen of Philadelphia introduced in April a law that would allow the use of medical marijuana under certain conditions, and the drug would be distributed by non-profit organizations or perhaps state-run agencies. The bill, however, has received few cosponsors.

In New Jersey, the state senate passed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act in February, and the bill moved to the Assembly where it is being considered. The three main candidates for governor, Democratic incumbent Governor Jon Corzine, Republican Chris Christie and Independent Chris Daggett, have all expressed support for the measure.

In New York, a bill that would allow the use of medical marijuana was introduced in the Assembly Health Committee in June by the chair of that committee, Democrat Richard Gottfried. The bill would allow state-registered and regulated entities to dispense the marijuana to patients, but would not allow patients to grow small amounts of the plant for personal use.