US OR: Feds Scrutinize Oregon's Marijuana Law
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02.n566.a01.html
Newshawk: allan
Pubdate: Sun, 24 Mar 2002
Source: Register-Guard, The (OR)
Copyright: 2002 The Register-Guard
Contact: rgletters@guardnet.com
Website: http://www.registerguard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/362
Author: Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

FEDS SCRUTINIZE OREGON'S MARIJUANA LAW

PORTLAND - For unknown reasons, the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, is looking into the medical marijuana programs in Oregon and three other states.

"It's a little baffling, and it's an uncomfortable kind of bafflement," said Mary Leverette, acting manager of Oregon's 3-year-old program that allows sick people to grow and smoke marijuana with a doctor's permission.

In light of Attorney General John Ashcroft's battle with Oregon over the state's assisted-suicide law, backers of the marijuana program say this is another case of the federal government interfering with states' rights.

When Leverette met with GAO staff last month, she raised that issue - but didn't get an answer.

"I raised it, and got no comment, no facial expression, nothing," Leverette said. "You would think they practiced in front of the mirror."

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