NOW IS TIME TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Regarding a recent editorial, "GOOD NEWS: Headlines we'd like to see
in 2010," my suggestion, published a year ago, remains the same:
"Governor signs medical marijuana bill, Wisconsin becomes15th state to
protect patients using medicinal cannabis."

The Wisconsin Legislature now has before it AB554 and SB368, the Jacki
Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, sponsored by Rep. Mark Pocan,
D-Madison, Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton and 15 cosponsors.

A combined Assembly and Senate Health Committee hearing in December
lasted over eight hours. Only six parties, mostly special interests
including the State Medical Society and the Attorney General's office,
opposed the bill.

In contrast, over 100 individuals and organizations testified in
favor, and more submitted in writing. Testimony came from patients,
family members, doctors, nurses, clergy, the Wisconsin Nurses
Association, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, Hospice Organization
and Palliative Experts and the Wisconsin American Civil Liberties Union.

This overwhelming weight of evidence that sends a strong message to
state legislators: Pass the Medical Marijuana Act now!

People with serious medical conditions do not usually turn out in
droves on cold winter days to share their medical histories with
strangers, including hostile lawmakers such as Rep. Leah Vukmir
R-Wauwatosa. The doubts of lawmakers and the fear mongering of the
opposition must be rejected. This issue has overwhelming popular
support, and Wisconsinites will not allow another session to go by
without it being addressed.

Gary Storck, Madison, director of communications, Is My Medicine Legal
YET?