SUPPORT MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

Kudos to U.S. Rep. David Obey for standing up for medical marijuana
patients in a recent Appropriations Committee hearing in Congress. Sources
at the hearing quoted Obey as saying: "Nothing makes me more angry than
this issue. When I decide what I want on the way out, or what a family
member needs on the way out, it's none of your damn business!" Obey
reportedly shouted this last sentence while pointing directly at the
Republicans on the committee. The amendment went down to defeat 31-16. But,
while Republicans voted as a block against it, 16 Democrats led by Obey
stood up for the rights of District of Columbia voters who passed a medical
marijuana law in 1998, only to have former Rep. Bob Barr push through an
amendment overturning the vote.

Medical marijuana is not a partisan issue. A Chamberlain Research poll that
found over 80 percent of Wisconsinites support medical marijuana found
nearly equal support for it among Republicans and Democrats, as well as
among independent voters.

Now that he has left no doubt on where he stands on this issue, Obey should
co-sponsor HR 2233, the bipartisan States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act,
which would let states adopt medical marijuana laws without federal
interference and allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana just as they
prescribe other medications. With Wisconsin's Legislature set to take up
this issue this fall, it is even more important that HR 2233 gets a hearing
this time around.

Please call Dave Obey and ask him to co-sponsor HR 2233, and please call
your state legislators and ask them to support state medical marijuana
legislation when it is introduced this fall.

Gary Storck is director of communications for Is My Medicine Legal YET? in
Madison.