LETTER OF THE WEEK

IT'S TIME FOR STATE RESIDENTS TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

By Gary Storck

Dear Editor: Ten years ago The Capital Times published the first
letter to the editor I ever wrote about medical marijuana. I wrote it
days after meeting the medical marijuana "Journey for Justice" at the
Capitol on Sept. 18, 1997.

The journey was a 15-patient, 210-mile, seven-day, 4 mph wheelchair
march from Mondovi, just south of Eau Claire, to the Capitol. It was
led by a very determined woman named Jacki Rickert. We first met that
day and have been friends ever since, trying to build awareness of
what a difference this simple herb, cannabis, can make in seriously
and chronically ill patients' lives.

This year on Sept. 18, Jacki and a number of patients in wheelchairs
and on foot, accompanied by more than a dozen supporters and press,
rolled up State Street to the Capitol in a "last mile" tribute to
fallen patients.

Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, was waiting to greet Jacki. At a press
conference, Boyle and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, announced they
were introducing new state medical marijuana legislation
appropriately titled "the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act."

I report this because readers may be unaware of these developments as
the briefing lacked a Capital Times reporter.

In the last 10 years there have been dozens of drug recalls,
widespread and growing painkiller addiction, and indications that
excreted drugs enter our water supplies. Meanwhile, nontoxic herbal
cannabis remains illegal for medicinal use.

Although polling has found that upward of 80 percent of Wisconsinites
support legal access, most citizens seem to be content to leave it at
that and allow frail, seriously ill patients like Jacki to carry the load.

As special interest bills get the fast track to passage, lack of
legal access to medical cannabis puts patients on the fast track to
an early grave.

Call and write your legislators early and often. Until people learn
to exercise their support for medical marijuana by not just calling
and writing, but also voting out those who find ways to justify this
cruelty, the frail, the sick, the dying will be on their own.

As Jacki would say, "Just do something!"

Gary Storck, Is My Medicine Legal YET?, Madison

Pubdate: Thu, 27 Sep 2007

Source: Capital Times, The (WI)