A Ph.D in neuroscience and mother sticks up for Alaska's Measure 2, which would essentially make personal use of marijuana a constitutional right in the Last Frontier.

As a mother, I want my child to know the difference between marijuana and hard drugs, and I believe Measure 2 makes this distinction. As an Alaskan, I want to feel safe in the privacy of my own home as guaranteed by our state constitution. Measure 2 reaffirms this right and will stop federal Drug Enforcement Administration raids on family homes.

As a biomedical scientist, I am committed to making the most effective medicines available to those who need it. Measure 2 will send a second message to our legislators that we want marijuana available for those who need it for medical reasons.

Right on! And if that's not enough to get some Alaskan enthusiasm raging through your bloodstream this morning, the Juneau newspaper smacks Alaska Lt. Gov. Loren Leman for abusing his office.

The lieutenant governor's role is one that often fades into the background once a gubernatorial election is won, but Loren Leman is managing to grab far more newsprint than most who have held his office. Unfortunately, he's doing it by abusing the lieutenant governor's most important duty - overseeing elections.

You'll recall we smacked Leman last week for having a staffer write the "anti" language for a voter guide detailing Measure 2 and other ballot initiatives. The lite gov's office is supposed to be the impartial overseer of elections. Yesterday's Juneau editorial goes on to detail another abuse of this authority by Leman in another constitutional question, before delivering the wallop:

Usually the state election pamphlet is a safe place to go for a neutral summary of initiatives, followed by arguments on both sides, but this year, voters need to read the statements with some caution. And the next time Leman's name is on the ballot, voters need to remember how he tried to abuse his authority over elections to further his own agenda, and ask themselves if they really want to give this man any more power.

Harsher language in a newspaper editorial, I cannot recall seeing.