MEDICINAL MARIJUANA ADVANCES

In Montana, a state where voters supported George Bush by a 59-38
percent margin, they also passed a medical marijuana initiative by a
62-38 percent margin. This made Montana the 10th U.S. state to pass a
law specifically exempting from prosecution patients and caregivers
cultivating and possessing marijuana for medical use with a doctor's
note.

Here in Wisconsin, polling has established 80.3% support statewide for
medical marijuana. However, the legislature's GOP leadership has
ensured every bill introduced since 1997 has died in committee without
a hearing or any debate. Is there a chance that medical marijuana --
something the people of Wisconsin overwhelmingly support, something
that unites us rather than divides us -- will be allowed to be debated
and voted up or down rather than dying in committee again?

Gary Storck, Madison