Marijuana Policy Project gala fundraiser

[eridani]

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20050503-120701-5213r.htm

Nobody better than former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders to headline the Marijuana Policy Project's 10th anniversary fundraising gala on Capitol Hill this week.

Others speaking out in support of medicinal-marijuana patients are 2004 presidential candidate Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, and fellow Democratic Reps. Linda T. Sanchez of California and Sam Farr of California. (The latter is to receive a legislative leadership award).

Meanwhile, Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, is expected to begin a drive this week to prevent federal government "attacks" on medicinal-marijuana patients.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/05/05/POT.TMP

Hundreds of suit-and-tie-clad marijuana advocates feasted on chicken Kiev and Petite Sirah on Capitol Hill on Wednesday night in what may have been the most button-down gathering of pot enthusiasts in history.

The music was contemporary jazz, not reggae. The dessert was a caramel parfait with chocolate drizzle, not Oreos. And the featured Cheech and Chong video was a snippet of a documentary on actor Tommy Chong's recent imprisonment.

The event, a strictly nonsmoking affair that drew members of Congress, a prominent television talk show host, and seasoned Washington operatives, was a mainstream coming-out of sorts for the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation's pre-eminent marijuana lobbying organization"Often people joke about marijuana, but due process and respecting state laws is a serious issue," Farr said. "Beyond that, I think it's high time the federal government recognized that one of the best ways to prevent recreational use of a drug is to let doctors prescribe it in closely regulated ways.'' Farr was joined at the gala by Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood (Los Angeles County).

Intellectually, it's very easy,'' Frank said of convincing his colleagues. "Politically, it's hard.''