CONGRESS MUST GET ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA BALL

Mahalo to Hawai'i's members of Congress Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case
for voting "yes" on the bipartisan Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical
marijuana amendment. Their votes show compassion for the 2,600 sick
and dying patients in Hawai'i who rely on the medical benefits of
marijuana to relieve pain and suffering, and understanding of the
issues facing physicians in our state. It's time for the rest in
Congress to wake up to the fact that marijuana is good medicine, as
the U.S. Supreme Court acknowledged recently. The court said it's up
to Congress to guarantee protection to seriously ill patients in
medical marijuana programs. Time and again, polls show that huge
majorities of Americans agree.

So while Hawai'i's medical marijuana program continues as it has for
the past five years, it's Congress' turn to extend a hand to the sick
and dying and allow patients and doctors access to a safe and
effective medicine completely free from fear and intimidation.

Pamela Lichty

President, Drug Policy Forum of Hawai'i