Dear Mr. ——-,

Thank you for contacting me to express your opinion regarding H.R. 2835, the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act. I appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts.

On June 11, 2009, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced H.R. 2835 to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The bill would further exempt authorized patients and medical marijuana providers who are acting in accordance with state laws from federal prosecution.

Currently, marijuana and its derivatives are classified under Schedule I of the CSA, the most restrictive of five categories. Schedule I substances are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse that have no recognized medicinal value. Other Schedule I substances include heroin, LSD, mescaline, peyote, and psilocybin. Schedule II substances are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse with recognized medical uses, such as opium, cocaine, and amphetamine.

The preliminary evidence suggests that certain components of marijuana may be beneficial to individuals suffering from a variety of ailments. The evidence in this area, however, is far from conclusive. Should conclusive evidence surface, however, the prudent thing to do would be to consider allowing a doctor to prescribe a drug that synthetically reproduces the beneficial components. This is not what the referendums in California or Arizona permitted. These referendums only permitted a caregiver, who does not have to be a licensed physician, to merely suggest that the patient begin using marijuana for the consumption to be legal. Given this, I would not support the extension of the language of either of these referendums on a national level.

However, as you may know, Alaska voters approved a ballot measure in 1998 allowing medical marijuana use. Under state law, medical marijuana patients must register with the state and can only do so with a doctor’s note asserting the person has been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition that medical marijuana could help. The patient can register up to two qualified caregivers who would also be exempt from prosecution for marijuana possession in approved circumstances. The law prohibits medical marijuana use in public and in a way that endangers anyone else. An October 2009 decision by the Department of Justice will allow Alaskans to use marijuana for medicinal purposes without fear of prosecution.

Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue. If you
haven’t already done so, I would encourage you to sign up for my
e-newsletter at http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm . This will allow me to provide you with updates on this and other important issues. If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

DON YOUNG
Congressman for All Alaska

Dear Mr. Perlman:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes. I appreciate hearing from you.

Over the past several years, the debate over the use of marijuana to alleviate uncomfortable and painful symptoms of certain diseases has received greater attention. While there can be some effects derived from marijuana use which some patients find beneficial, many questions pertaining to possible health and dependence consequences still remain. Ballot initiatives have permitted marijuana use under a physician’s care in several states. The Supreme Court found in Gonzales v. Raich that Congress and the federal government have the authority to regulate controlled substances and to enforce federal drug laws, even in states that allow medical marijuana use.

While I encourage the development of new FDA approved pharmaceuticals to aid in cases of extreme discomfort, I am concerned that the use of marijuana for medicinal purposed could lead to abuse and related health complications. Any drug’s capacity to ease a patient’s pain must not overshadow potential safety hazards. For example, Arizona voters legalized all “Schedule I” drugs as medicine in 1996. Such Schedule I drugs include not only marijuana, but also one hundred other drugs, including heroin and LSD. I do not believe such drugs should ever be made legally available for any purpose.

Thank you for taking the time to contact me on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Mark Steven Kirk

Dear Mr. Kalligher:

Thank you for your correspondence regarding marijuana. I appreciate hearing from you concerning this issue.

Experts say that marijuana remains a popular gateway drug that can lead to harder use, and various studies show that recent drug use is on the increase, particularly among young people. Studies show that legalization of drugs (including marijuana) would increase drug use in the public schools, lead to higher numbers of drug addicts and drug overdoses, and result in more drug-related crime.

I strongly oppose illegal drugs, including marijuana, and I have supported increases in federal funding for programs related to the prevention, enforcement, and treatment of drug usage.

There has been much debate over whether marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. I understand the perspective of those who oppose federal involvement in states that have passed referendums to legalize marijuana for therapeutic purposes. Many have expressed outrage that patients would be denied medical marijuana when a physician deems it to be the appropriate course of treatment or that people would serve jail time for attempting to assist HIV/AIDS or chemotherapy patients in pain.

Advocates for medical use of marijuana contend that there is already sufficient scientific evidence to justify rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, a change that would give it the necessary legal recognition to be used for medicinal purposes. A 1999 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that the therapeutic effects of smoking marijuana were modest, but noted, however, that while marijuana’s active components are potentially effective in treating certain medical conditions, they should be tested rigorously in controlled clinical trials. I support efforts to ensure that proper research is done on the medical uses and benefits of marijuana.

With best wishes.

Sincerely,

James L. Oberstar
M.C.

Dear Mr. Wisnoski,

Thank you for your letter about the legalization of marijuana. While we agree that drug use is harming our economy, straining our prison system and destroying the lives of our children, I believe there are more effective remedies than legalization. We need to strike a better balance between education, enforcement and treatment to stem drug abuse. Drug use is tragic, but I do not believe that legalizing drugs like marijuana, even for medical purposes, is the answer. While law enforcement efforts to decrease the supply of drugs and combat their use are only one component of the drug war, they are an important part of the solution.

For more information on my work in Congress or to send me an electronic message, feel free to visit the 21st District’s Web site, http://lamarsmith.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Lamar Smith
Member of Congress

Dear Mr. Peele:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about the legalization of drugs such as marijuana. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this matter.

I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana for any purpose. As you may be aware, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, along with heroin and LSD. According to the FDA, marijuana carries a high potential for dangerous abuse and, as a result, has remained illegal. Furthermore, law enforcement officials insist that legalization may increase crime and traffic fatalities and will hamper their efforts to prevent the spread of all types of drugs into our communities. Legalization of marijuana will not solve the very important, and very costly, problem of addiction.

I am concerned that legalization of marijuana will result in increased abuse of all varieties of drugs, including alcohol. We may never be able to completely eliminate the problem of drugs in our criminal justice system, but a serious effort must be waged to protect the health and safety of our communities. That includes not increasing the availability of addictive drugs, especially to our youths.

Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please feel free to contact me again if I can be of further assistance on this matter. I also invite you to visit my website at crenshaw.house.gov for additional information on issues facing Congress.

Sincerely,

Ander Crenshaw
Member of Congress

Dear Ms. Daniels,

Thank you for contacting me with your support for the legalization of Marijuana. I appreciate your taking time to reach me, and I enjoy hearing your views.

I am sorry that we may be in some disagreement on this issue. I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. While the individual users may not often see the larger dangers, marijuana use often escalates into use of harder drugs and contributes to the nationwide cycle of violence resulting from the drug trade. It is estimated that three out of four violent crimes involve drugs. And everyone that participates in the production, selling or using of illegal substances contributes, often unknowingly, to that violence which affects everyone. For these reasons, I believe that current efforts to stop the recreational use and production of marijuana continues to be in the best interests of American society.

Since 1996, nine states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington) have implemented laws allowing seriously ill patients to possess and use medical marijuana under a doctor’s supervision. While these laws protect patients from state criminal marijuana penalties, they do not shield patients from federal prosecution, nor do they allow a state legislature to legally distribute medical marijuana.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Please continue to keep in touch. I look forward to hearing from you in the future on this and other issues of importance.

Sincerely,

Shelley Moore Capito, M.C.

Thank you for contacting me regarding the issue of marijuana and its potential use for medical purposes. As always, I appreciate the benefit of your views.

In regards to this issue, I refer you to H.R. 2233. As you may know, H.R. 2233: the States’ Right to Medical Marijuana Act would provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various states.

Some individuals suggest that cannabis is a valuable aid in the treatment of pain relief. Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant, specifically for patients suffering from HIV, the AIDS wasting syndrome, or dementia.

However, researchers at major universities have confirmed that marijuana cigarettes are of no therapeutic value. Their findings indicate that marijuana’s most active psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinal (THC), destroys immune-system cells, called lymphocytes, which also are impaired by the AIDS virus-potentially putting AIDS patients who use marijuana in double jeopardy.

When drug-prevention efforts began 24 years ago, marijuana had a THC content of approximately 2 percent. Today’s higher-grade marijuana contains up to 35 percent THC. The University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research reported that marijuana-related emergency room visits now are as common as heroin-related ones.

At the same time, the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association support the facilitation of wide scale, clinical research trials so that physicians may better assess cannabis’s medical potential. In addition, a 1991 Harvard study found that 44 percent of oncologists had previously advised marijuana therapy to their patients. A more recent national survey, performed by researchers at Providence Rhode Island Hospital found that less than half of physicians supported legalizing medical marijuana.

This legislation would afford patients legal protection under federal law by rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II of the “Controlled Substances Act,” and provide those states that wish to establish medical marijuana distribution systems the legal authority to do so. Marijuana has proven to be a “starter drug” for many teenagers who later move on to other illicit drugs. As such, I oppose H.R. 2233.

I thank you for your concern regarding this very important matter and I hope you will continue to share your thoughts and views with me. It is my honor and privilege to serve the people of Florida’s 5th Congressional District and my offices and staff are here to provide you with any assistance you may need.

Sincerely,

Ginny Brown-Waite
Member of Congress

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the legalization of marijuana. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

The negative effects of marijuana are well proven by the American Medical Association and the National Institute of Health (NIH). Daily use of marijuana affects the parts of the brain that control memory, attention, and learning, and also causes some changes in the brain that are like those caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Additionally, smoking marijuana causes similar lung damage as smoking cigarettes. Scientists are still learning about the many affects of marijuana. I do not believe that we can in good conscious fully decriminalize marijuana when there is still so much unknown information about the long-term health risks associated with it, both mentally and physically. While I appreciate your input, I do not support the legalization of marijuana.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future should you need any further assistance.

Sincerely,

John Carter
Member of Congress

Thank you for contacting me regarding efforts to legalize marijuana. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with me.

Marijuana is illegal for sound reasons. Research shows that frequent use of marijuana suppresses the immune system, damages brain cells, and decreases short-term memory, which can be especially damaging to young people. Heavy use of this drug can also cause anxiety, hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. A long-term study of one thousand children found that those who used marijuana by age of 13 were over three times more likely to develop mental illness as a result.

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I fully support efforts to both keep this drug illegal and to prevent it from being smuggled into the U.S. I am especially troubled by those who peddle the drug culture as a cure-all to the health care community. We must do all we can to prevent drug use while fostering healthy families and communities. This is why I strongly oppose H.R. 5843, the curiously named Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act, which was introduced by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) on April 17, 2008. It is absurd to think that we can win the War on Drugs by retreating from the front lines. I assure you that I will continue to stand against attempts to legalize drugs.

I hope you find this information helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any other concerns or questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at (202) 225-2676, or by e-mail through our website at http://jordan.house.gov.

Sincerely,
Jim Jordan
Congressman, Ohio 4th District

Dear Barry,

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the question of medical marijuana.
While I do support increasing the availability of medications and other items that serve a palliative function for the reduction of symptoms related to cancer, cataracts and other conditions, I am sorry to inform you that I do not support the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. As someone who has family members with a history of cancer, I am certainly sympathetic to the concerns and wishes of cancer patients, but I do not believe that the societal dangers that can come from the legalization of marijuana outweigh the function that it may be able to perform in the lives. Despite our disagreement, I hope you can accept my position on this important issue, even if you disagree with it.
If there is any other matter on which I may be of assistance, do not hesitate to contact my office.

Best wishes,
Dan Dodd
State Representative
91st House District