Madison NORML

The following letter was submitted to both the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin State Journal. Neither paper accepted it for publication.

Here is the letter TOO HOT for the state's two largest papers!

Medical marijuana really about personal freedom

At the December medical marijuana hearing, Dr. Michael Miller, on behalf of the State Medical Society, obsessed on the dangers of "smoked marijuana", even likening it to smoking crack cocaine, while conveniently claiming to know little about vaporization, a smoke free alternative.

A 24-page report issued last week to the California State Legislature by California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) discussed a series of randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials assessing the efficacy of inhaled marijuana which consistently found that cannabis holds therapeutic value comparable to conventional medications.

Several studies found benefit for neuropathic pain from "smoked marijuana". One concluded that "a significantly greater proportion of patients who smoked cannabis (52%) had a greater than 30% reduction in pain intensity compared to only 24% in the placebo group". CMCR noted "the threshold of a 30% reduction in pain intensity is associated with meaningful improvement in quality of life in other research on pain outcomes".

Regarding non-smoked alternatives for administration, UCSF Dr. Donald Abrams' study, "Vaporization as a 'Smokeless' Cannabis Delivery System," found that vaporization was a safe and effective mode of delivery. Two CMCR clinical trials are now in progress utilizing vaporization.

In a nation that prides itself as a beacon of freedom and liberty as well as having the best healthcare, shouldn't patients and doctors have the freedom to utilize cannabis as they now have the freedom to utilize treatments including chemotherapy, radiation, electroshock, morphine, Demerol, oxycontin, neurontin, Paxil, Prozac, Viagra, Ambien, steroids, Haldol, etc.?

Politicians love to get all misty-eyed talking about freedom when the cameras start rolling, but when it's about the freedom of the patient and doctor to be able to have cannabis as an option, many begin foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues.

Medical cannabis is health care. Wisconsin's legislature needs to pull together and pass the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act at this moment in history. Decades have passed while Wisconsin's sick, disabled, dying, seniors and vets twisted in the wind while the issue has been stonewalled, and the result is only more pain and suffering. Wisconsin will pass a medical marijuana bill someday. Legislators need to listen to the people they profess to represent and get it done now, rather than cause their constituents more pain.