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December 20, 2007

Wisconsin State Journal: Letter: Approve medical marijuana for pain

Posted by Gary Storck
Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007

Here is my latest letter in the State Journal, just in time for the Holidays! In the print edition, it appeared on Page B2, above the fold, under a larger than 5 x 7 photo of CA medical cannabis activists protesting in LA on Oct. 11, with both the picture and letter on a darker background, and taking up most of the top of the page, with the bold title shouting out almost as if it were an admonition from the State Journal itself! Very nice positioning!

Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Pubdate: 20 Dec 2007
Author: Gary Storck

APPROVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR PAIN

More pain clinics alone are not the answer to skyrocketing chronic pain rates. Scientific studies and clinical observations have long established marijuana as an effective treatment for pain. Cannabis has shown special efficacy in treating conditions like migraine and nerve pain that often do not respond to conventional medications and treatments.

Current law deprives health care professionals of this tool when compassion demands patients have legal access. Meanwhile, state legislation that would legalize this option, AB 550, the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, remains stalled in the Assembly 's Health and Health Care Reform committees, where the chairwoman, Rep. Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa, refuses to hold a hearing.

Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch should pull AB 550 from Vukmir's committee and send it to the Assembly Public Health committee, whose chairman, Rep. J.A. Hines, R-Oxford, has pledged to hold a hearing.

An influx of veterans is swelling the ranks of Wisconsinites already struggling with pain and medical issues. Is the Legislature going to let them down, too? Gov. Jim Doyle indicated he would support a medical cannabis bill during his first campaign for governor in 2002.

Without quick action from the governor and legislative leaders, it appears Wisconsin families who need legal access to medical marijuana will not even see it this session.

-- Gary Storck, Madison

Posted by Gary at December 20, 2007 12:45 AM

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