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Editorial

Let's separate health, politics

Jacki Rickert suffers from EhlersDanlos syndrome and reflexive sympathetic
dystrophy, a mouthful of medical conditions that cause the Mondovi, Wis.
woman to experience muscle spasms, nausea and loosejointedness.

The bone disease that has taken over her life requires Rickert to use a
wheelchair. And today she is rolling that chair onto the grounds of the
State Capitol, ending a 210mile journey of protest against foolish and
inhumane policies that have denied her doctors permission to prescribe a
drug she needs to relieve her pain.

That drug is marijuana, and a growing body of research suggests that it can
help control nausea and vomiting for cancer patients, regulate some
neurological disorders such as epilepsy, abate pain, improve appetites and
treat glaucoma.

But doctors cannot prescribe marijuana to patients like Rickert because
politicians are too concerned about preserving their images as drug
warriors. Even as committees of the National Institutes of Health describe
the medical benefits of marijuana as "promising," even as voters endorse
legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, Jacki Rickert and other
patients are denied treatment because of politics.

Hence, the remarkable protest "march" that brings Rickert and other
advocates of medical marijuana to the Capitol today.

They have found a few allies, including state Rep. Frank Boyle, DSuperior,
who will introduce legislation to allow Wisconsin physicians to prescribe
marijuana. Boyle's courage is legendary, as is the depth of his commitment
to those who suffer physical infirmity.

But Boyle should not stand alone on this issue.

Doctors, nurses, health care educators tell us that marijuana can be good
medicine, as do patients like Jacki Rickert. It's time for legislators to
reject drugwar myths and to serve the interests of Wisconsinites whose
suffering is unnecessary.

© 1997 The Capital Times