RECORD ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLEAR

Regarding Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett's letter
about his voting record on abortion, "Barrett sets record straight" (August
13). Let's look at where he stands on another issue that is both pro-choice
and pro-life: allowing the sick and dying to use medical marijuana.

Readers may recall a February 2002 Chamberlain Research poll found that
over 80% of Wisconsinites back the legislature passing a law to allow
patients to use this therapy under a doctor's care.

Of the major candidates for governor, Ed Thompson, Kathleen Falk, Jim
Young, and Jim Doyle have all expressed support for medical marijuana. Of
these, Thompson, Falk and Young have shown the strongest support. As far as
I know, Republican Governor Scott McCallum has never taken a position, even
though there was a medical marijuana bill before the legislature this session.

As for Tom Barrett, his campaign issued a statement saying he supports the
current federal scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I drug with no
medical use, a cruel and outdated position derived from the 1970 Controlled
Substances Act.

As a congressman he has refused to cosponsor any medical marijuana bills
such as HR 2592, the bipartisan bill now before the House. And in 1998, he
actually joined a host of right-wing Republican ideologues like Bob Barr,
John Mica and Dennis Hastert in voting for H J RES 117, "Expressing the
Sense of Congress that Marijuana is a Dangerous and Addictive Drug and
Should not be Legalized for Medicinal Use."

Whether candidates support medical marijuana personally or not, it seems
they ought to support what the public wants on this issue. There are few
issues that command this kind of strong support.

Wisconsin needs to elect a governor this year who will respect the people
of Wisconsin's views on this issue. In that regard, the choices are clear.

Gary Storck; Madison