FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 12, 2002 10:00 AM CDT

80 PERCENT OF WISCONSINITES FAVOR MARIJUANA TO TREAT SERIOUSLY ILL

Madison - A statewide poll will be released today showing an overwhelming
majority of Wisconsinites, over 80%, support legislation legalizing medical
marijuana in the state. The polling was done by Chamberlain Research
Consultants as part of their quarterly Wisconsin Trends survey, and
commissioned by the group, "Is My Medicine Legal YET?" ( IMMLY,
www.immly.org ) and other Wisconsin medical marijuana advocates. The poll
found strong support in all regions of the state for passage of a bill like
the one now before the legislature, AB 715, introduced in January and
sponsored by State Assembly Reps. Frank Boyle, Mark Pocan, Rick Skindrud
and 7 others.

The poll found that overall, 80.3 percent of Wisconsin residents said they
"support the Wisconsin State Legislature passing a law to allow seriously
ill or terminally ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes if
supported by their physician," compared to only 16 percent opposing, and
3.7 percent choosing don't know/no opinion. The poll's margin of error is
+/-3.97%.

IMMLY Founder Jacki Rickert, a longtime Wisconsin activist whose Mondovi
home was raided and searched by police two years ago March 13-14, sees the
results as a mandate to lawmakers to pass a medical marijuana bill, "The
people have spoken. What can be more noble and humane than enforcing the
will of the people? These numbers show voters understand there are real
people with valid needs for Rx Cannabis and they expect legislators to help
patients in need, rather than causing more pain and fear by continuing to
do nothing".

Gary Storck, IMMLY's director of communications said. "Across the state, in
every single region, people expressed very strong support. These results
say that giving patients legal access to medical marijuana is an issue that
is not liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, or only popular in
Madison, as some politicos have suggested. They send a strong message that
Wisconsinites see medical marijuana as a matter of compassion and public
health, not criminal justice or partisan politics."

Others agree, including the Wisconsin Nurses Association, which is already
on record as supporting patient access to medicinal marijuana. WNA
Executive Director Gina Dennik-Champion, RN states, "WNA is hopeful that
the results of this poll will spur legislators to rethink their position on
patient access to medical marijuana. Given the statewide support for access
to medical marijuana, there is no reason why legislation should not be
passed by the Wisconsin Legislature quickly."

Racine resident Don Lyons, who found marijuana helpful to treat a painful
and debilitating back problem, but was then fired after 24 years of
exemplary employment for failing a drug test said, "These results are
awesome! I was thrilled. Maybe hard-working dedicated individuals like
myself won't lose their job for the use of medical marijuana. It's a shame
that those 80% of Wisconsinites weren't also asked if hard working
individuals like myself should lose their jobs for using marijuana to
relieve pain."

More detailed information on the poll can be found at
www.immly.org/poll.htm, including poll data in PDF format that can be
downloaded.

For more information contact Gary Storck, 608.241.8922/608.217.4136, Jacki
Rickert at 715.926.4950. Gina Dennik-Champion can be reached at WNA
608.221.0383 or 800-362-3959. Don Lyons can be reached at 262.637.1232.