ASK CONGRESS TO PUSH FOR STATES' RIGHTS ON LAWS COVERING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Dear Editor: Thanks for your editorial Wednesday on medical cannabis, cliche
headline notwithstanding, "Court ruling was dopey."

The court clearly failed to follow the Constitution in its ruling, and
Justice Stevens seemed to have not read the briefs in urging medical
marijuana supporters to take the issue to Congress, where multiple
attempts to resolve this have been scuttled by the GOP majority.

However, Congress is squarely to blame for creating this problem in
1970, by passing the Controlled Substances Act, wrongly classing
marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug with no medical use and a high abuse
potential.

Next week, Congress has a chance to rectify their error by voting for
the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which forbids the Justice
Department from spending money on targeting medical marijuana patients
in states where it is legal. The amendment was defeated last year but
received 152 votes, including those of Wisconsin's four Democratic
Congress members, Reps. Tammy Baldwin, Ron Kind, David Obey and
then-Rep. Gerald Kleczka.

In addition, the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, HR 2087, was
introduced May 5 and now has 36 co-sponsors. Unfortunately only Rep.
Baldwin has shown the courage to co-sponsor this bill among
Wisconsin's congressional delegation. Not even Rep. David Obey, who
helped create this mess by voting for the CSA as a freshman
congressman in 1970, has stood up for patients by becoming a co-sponsor.

Prior versions of this bill have been bottled up in committee by the
GOP leadership, without getting a hearing or a single vote. George
Bush has recently been saying his nominations deserve a simple vote up
or down. Medical marijuana legislation deserves the same. Republicans
like to talk about family values and a culture of life while blindly
supporting cruel policies that criminalize some of our most
defenseless citizens for the simple act of trying to live.

Don't wait for illness or accident to strike a loved one before you
find out cannabis may be the only medicine that helps. For today's
patients and tomorrow's, please ask Congress to do the right thing
now!

GARY STORCK

Is My Medicine Legal YET?

www.immly.org

Madison NORML

www.madisonnorml.org