Letter to the Editor: People Should Support Medical Marijuana
Source: Waukesha Freeman
(WI)
Published Wednesday December 19, 2001
Copyright ©2001 Waukesha Freeman
PEOPLE SHOULD SUPPORT MEDICAL MARIJUANA
This is in regards to your article, "Ed Thompson backs medical marijuana bill," (Dec. 12) in which I was quoted.
In attending the press conference to show support for this legislation I witnessed what has unfortunately become a very rare event in Wisconsin politics - politicians working together to do something that would benefit some of the states most vulnerable people.
In a state grown weary of partisan politics and caucus scandals at the Capitol, the sight of Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians working together was itself medicinal.
But the press conference was only the beginning. What is needed now is a Senate co-sponsor, and the cooperation of Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen (R-Town of Brookfield) in making sure the bill gets a fair hearing this time around.
Jensen's aide Steve Baas was quoted in some articles as saying that "This topic has been a perennial loser here in the Assembly that has done a lot to define Madison liberals but not much to impact the debate."
But the fact is, for anyone who has ever been the victim of serious illness, or knows someone who has, most people understand that all options should be on the table, not all options but one, and that is why for decades opinion polls have shown that at least 65-75% of Americans support legal access to this issue.
As Is My Medicine Legal Yet? founder Jacki Rickert of Mondovi testified at an Assembly hearing on medical marijuana last April, "I am begging you ladies and gentlemen to be open-minded.
Just think about it. Tomorrow it could be you, your children, your parents, you never know. You could get a disease, a syndrome, you could get hit by a car, anything. And when it happens you hope there is something out there that's going to help you."
As a Waukesha native now living in Madison, I call on the good people of Waukesha to please act now to see that this option becomes legally available to sick and dying Wisconsinites! You can reach the governor at (608) 266-1212, Speaker Jensen locally at 798-0650 and toll free at (888) 529-0032, and your legislators through the toll-free Legislative Hotline: (800) 362-WISC (800) 362-9472.
Gary Storck
director of communications
Is My Medicine Legal Yet?
www.immly.org |
