PATIENTS NEED LEGAL MARIJUANA

The Supreme Court has ruled the manufacture and distribution of
medical marijuana is illegal under federal law, based on the
Controlled Substances Act, not scientific and medical evidence. It is
clearly time for Congress to change this law, which was never
intended to be the final word on medical marijuana when it was
adopted in 1970.

The ruling ignores 30-plus years of patient reports and scientific
evidence, along with the 1999 federally-commissioned Institute of
Medicine report, which leave no doubt of marijuana's extensive
therapeutic properties.

It is now up to our elected representatives, both federal and state,
to act with compassion to protect people who can benefit from the
medical use of marijuana. Polls consistently show that around 75% of
Americans support legal access. Few issues command such widespread
support.

Lack of action by our elected representatives brought this situation
to the breaking point. Punishing the sick and dying for using a
God-given herb to ease their suffering is immoral. This is a public
health issue, not a criminal matter.

Two actions could quickly end this cruel dilemma. Congress could pass
HR 1344, Barney Frank's states rights medical marijuana bill,
co-sponsored by Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, which would reschedule
marijuana so physicians can prescribe it.

Even better, HHS Secy. Tommy Thompson could bypass the necessity for
congressional action and acknowledge the science by immediately
ordering marijuana rescheduled. No matter how it's accomplished, it's
time to get Big Brother to stop playing games with people's lives.

Gary Storck
Madison