Madison NORML

Richardson is also a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, and his rescue of New Mexico patient’s chances of legal access to cannabis sent a strong statement in a field of compassion-impaired candidates from both parties. Outside of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH0 and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), few, if any other candidates appear to care about patients who need medical cannabis to live or have a quality of life.

So, while I appreciate the Cap Times publishing the first 66 words of my letter, I’m a tad disappointed they didn’t choose to publish the remaining two paragraphs as submitted.

Source: Capital Times
Pubdate: March 26, 2007
Author: Gary Storck

MARIJUANA STANCE A PLUS FOR RICHARDSON

Dear Editor: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's plans to sign a state medical marijuana bill put him head and shoulders above the front-running candidates for U.S. president in 2008.

While most other candidates refuse to show any support for suffering patients who need medical cannabis today, Richardson has aligned himself with the overwhelming majority of Americans who believe the sick should have legal access if their doctors concur.

Gary Storck
co-founder, Is My Medicine Legal YET?
Madison

Below is the rest of the letter I submitted:

For far too long, many candidates and elected officials have erroneously believed that supporting the health needs of sick and dying Americans who could benefit from medical cannabis would jeopardize their chances of election. But polling in New Jersey by the Drug Policy Alliance has found the opposite. Voters were nearly five times as likely to vote for a candidate based on their support for medical marijuana alone, according to the DPA’s results click here.

Gov. Richardson’s display of compassion and medical marijuana courage is not only a breath of fresh air, but a sign that candidates are finally tuning in to the issues Americans care about. One can only hope his courage is contagious, and whoever is elected in 2008 will finally stop this senseless, cruel and wasteful war on our sick and dying fellow citizens once and for all.