http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/medicalmarijuana/ Since May of last year, the DEA has raided several legitimate medical marijuana clinics in California, forcing hundreds if not thousands of patients to procure marijuana in the black market instead. Bryan Epis, the courageous operator of a not-for-profit medical marijuana co-op, has received a 10 year federal prison sentence, and medical marijuana provider Ed Rosenthal has so far gotten off with probation and a day, but the Bush administration is appealing that sentence. And these are just two cases of many. On July 23, 2003, the House of Representatives rejected an amendment offered by Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) that would have prohibited the Dept. of Justice from spending funds to interfere with state medical marijuana laws. The good news is that the roll call, 273-152, showed 160% greater support for medical marijuana than on the last and only other medical marijuana vote in the full House five years before. Your letters and phone calls to Congress made a difference! There are currently two pro-medical marijuana bills in the House, H.R. 2233, the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), and H.R. 1717, the Truth in Trials Act, sponsored by Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA). States' Rights would remove federal prohibition of medical marijuana in states that have enacted medical marijuana laws. Truth in Trials would provide an affirmative medical necessity defense in those states. Visit http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/medicalmarijuana to tell Congress to stop its cruel persecution of medical marijuana patients and providers! http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/medicalmarijuana/