BILL WOULD ALLOW MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES

Ed Thompson Endorses Two Lawmakers' Proposal That Seeks To Help Patients

Madison - Two Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill that would
allow Wisconsin residents suffering from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and other
diseases to smoke marijuana to help manage their pain and increase their
appetites.

Reps. Frank Boyle of Superior and Mark Pocan of Madison said their
legislation would allow people to grow or buy marijuana if their doctor
gave them a statement consenting to its use for medical purposes.

It's an issue that's shadowed the Legislature for nearly eight years, Boyle
said.

The bill also would allow non-profit corporations to produce and distribute
medical marijuana if they were licensed and regulated by the state
Department of Health and Family Services.

The bill was endorsed Tuesday by Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Ed
Thompson, who is mayor of Tomah.

"It's high time that the Wisconsin Legislature gets off its high horse and
recognizes how important this is," Thompson said. "Nobody's ever died from
the use of marijuana. . . . It's not harmful but helpful."

The bill faces substantial opposition in the state Assembly and among the
medical community.

"This topic has been a perennial loser here in the Assembly that has done a
lot to define Madison liberals but not much to impact the debate," said
Steve Baas, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen (R-Town of Waukesha).

Michael Miller, former president of the Dane County Medical Society, said
there have been clinical trials of orally administered and prescribed THC,
which is the active ingredient in marijuana, but not of smoked marijuana.
"There's not clear evidence that it works for any medical condition," he said.

The State Medical Society supports lifting legal barriers to clinical
trials, but not to legalizing marijuana's medical use, since there are too
many potential risks, including increased addiction, Miller said.