Pubdate: 10 Aug, 1999
Source: Florida Today (FL)
Copyright: 1999 FLORIDA TODAY
Contact:  http://www.flatoday.com/letters.htm
Website: http://www.flatoday.com/
Author: Jodi James
Related: Floridians For Medical Rights  has a website at
http://www.medicalrights.org/html/fmr.html .  Additional info on the state
medicinal cannabis propositions is available at
http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm 

VOLTZ SENDS MIXED MESSAGES IN LETTER

In response to Helen Voltz's letter regarding mixed messages about drugs, I
share her concern.

I, too, was at the National Association of Counties along with six other
pro medical marijuana activists including an AIDS patient and a glaucoma
patient.  We were not invited to participate in this conference.  Several
members were forcefully removed from the Peabody Hotel in Orlando for not
paying the $300.00 conference fee.

It became apparent reading your letter, that everyone in the state needs to
be concerned about mixed messages about drugs. If, in fact, you were told
that Florida has a ballot initiative to "legalize marijuana" that is
sponsored by MAMA we have more to fear then anyone realizes.

Floridians For Medical Rights (FMR) is sponsoring a statewide initiative to
legalize marijuana for medical use. FMR is made up of volunteers and is
financed through donations primarily by Floridians. The initiative can be
viewed on line at www.medicalrights.org.

MAMA (Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse) is an Oregon based group who is
currently touring the nation.  The Houston Chronicle on November 11, 1998
in an article by Thom Marshall had this to say about MAMA, "MAMA always
says we need to teach people social skills so they know how to manage their
lives without drugs." Marsha Rosenbaum, Ph.D., in "Kids, Drugs, and Drug
Education - A Harm Reduction Approach" writes, "MAMA's program is not radical.

It includes real information about both legal and illegal drugs. MAMA's
value lies in its comprehensive, non-judgmental, yet precautionary
perspective on drug education."

It appears that Ms. Voltz should be admonished to research and reflect on
this subject before she jumps head long into a war that is, in essence, a
war against the American people. 
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MAP posted-by: Thunder