LAWMAKERS' INACTION ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS INEXCUSABLE

It is nothing short of tragic that state lawmakers ended yet another
session without any forward progress on medical marijuana.

Last October, when Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, first announced plans
to introduce a medical marijuana bill, and promised to hold a hearing,
hopes were raised that with a Republican sponsor and bipartisan support,
there would be some progress towards legalizing medical marijuana in the
state. However, the bill wasn't introduced until late February, and despite
Underheim being the chairman of the Assembly's Health committee, it did not
receive a hearing.

Medical marijuana is an old issue for the Legislature. Sadly, for the many
who have died who could not legally access it, as well as those suffering
today, every medical marijuana bill has died in committee, going back many
sessions. Meanwhile, support for medical marijuana has risen to over 80%
statewide. Privately, many Capitol sources say if a bill came to a vote, it
would easily pass, but a bill must first get a hearing.

This is a health care issue. Accident and illness have no party
affiliation, and they will not wait until lawmakers get their act together.
Simply put, there are people who need medical marijuana today. For them
there will be no next session. If the Legislature can even consider holding
a special session for things like overriding Gov. Jim Doyle's prudent veto
of a bill barring obese people from suing restaurants for making them
overweight, it certainly has time to call a special session on health this
year, and to hold a hearing on Underheim's medical marijuana bill.

Gary Storck

Madison