Madison NORML

In his campaign for the 2004 nomination, Edwards publicly stated that he supported federal raids against patients and caregivers in states that have legalized the medical use of marijuana, and that he would not change federal law to protect patients who use medicinal pot.

But, in the interim, Edwards’ wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent treatment. Like many others, I wondered if the experience of seeing a loved one suffer through serious illness had caused him to reconsider.

I called a number listed on his website click here and was advised to submit my question via email, and assured I would receive a response. I sent an email noting I had supported John Kerry in 2004 because of his support of medical marijuana. I also wrote, “I also have friends and loved ones who faced cancer. Some are still fighting, and others did not make it. Cannabis was of help to all. Most stated they would not be able to continue treatment without it. Several are now cancer free and leading productive lives.”

As of this writing, there has been no response from the Edwards campaign, and I doubt there will be. Decades of being both a medical marijuana advocate and patient has made it easy to spot politicians who are medical marijuana cowards. If Edwards were a real leader, he would have been on record as a supporter long ago.

Right now, the only declared 2008 candidate willing to really stand up for medical marijuana patients is a medical marijuana patient himself, Steve Kubby, seeking the Libertarian nomination click here. Kubby, the longest-surviving adrenal cancer patient on record, relies on medical cannabis to control life-threatening spikes in blood pressure caused by the disease. Running for governor of California in 1998, Kubby was wrongly targeted for his legal medical cannabis use, arrested, tried, convicted and eventually forced to seek asylum in Canada. After asylum was refused, Kubby was expelled and jailed for two months upon his return to the U.S.

The notion that supporting medical cannabis is the kiss of death to candidates is simply not true. Polling has not only found that most Americans support legalizing medical marijuana, but also that voters are more likely to support candidates who support medical marijuana.

If Edwards and other mainstream candidates can’t find it in themselves to be compassionate to the sick and dying or even agree with the wishes of most of the people they seek to lead, then why are they even running?