MEDICAL MARIJUANA

While it may be true the media has given short shrift to the City of
Detroit's recent passage of a municipal medicinal marijuana ordinance, it
has not gone unnoticed, (Our View, Aug. 24).

Medical marijuana supporters here in Madison, Wis., were watching closely
and were elated at the results. Madison voters passed a similar law here
back in April 1977. While Detroit's law may only apply at the city level,
like Madison's, its passage gives hope to patients who can benefit from
medical marijuana, whether they live in Detroit or not.

Passage of the Detroit law sends a strong message to spineless lawmakers at
the state and federal levels who are fully aware of the value of medical
marijuana to patients and their families, yet refuse to act, for political
reasons.

Withholding medicine from the sick by force is not only cruel, but also
un-American. It's time this issue is settled at the national level so
patients are no longer forced to choose between protecting their health or
breaking the law.

Gary Storck, Madison, Wis.