STATE SHOULD LEGALIZE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

For months, Connecticut's state legislators have been filing bills that
affect all aspects of life in our state -- from boating safety to work
hours for

health care professionals. There is one law, however, that desperately
needs to be passed -- and no one has yet had the courage to introduce it.

Connecticut needs a bill to create medical exceptions to the laws which
imprison marijuana users. Hundreds of patients across Connecticut already
use medical marijuana with their doctors' approval, but they do so in fear
of punishment from the state.

This year, about 20 state legislatures will discuss medical marijuana. Last
year, Hawaii's legislature passed a law allowing patients to use, grow and
possess medical marijuana with their doctor's approval.

Since 1996, seven states have enacted such laws through the voter
initiative process. In Connecticut, however, we are dependent on the
legislature to

make necessary changes to state laws, because we have no voter initiative
process.

It is time for Connecticut to join these states in showing compassion to
the seriously ill. Let's allow a doctor to decide what can best help a
patient through cancer chemotherapy or AIDS. Most important, let's stop
treating

seriously ill people like criminals for possessing what even the Institute
of Medicine has said can be an effective medicine.

For more information, please log on to the Marijuana Policy Project at
mpp.org/ct.

Joe Mustich
Washington, Conn