EDUCATE ILLINOIS MEDIA ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE DrugSense FOCUS Alert #301 - Sunday, 20 Feb 2005 In a whirlwind series of events, including two excellent OPEDs in major Chicago newspapers, the state of Illinois finds itself immersed in a public discussion about legalizing marijuana for qualified medical use. In the Illinois state legislature, Rep. Larry McKeon introduced a bill which would legalize use for a short list of medical conditions. Though both were too cowardly to debate the topic in a public forum with supporters of the bill, Dr. Andrea Barthwell, a now retired ONDCP Deputy Chief, and her former boss Drug Czar John Walters each did their part. They worked to insure medical patients who elect to use cannabis with a doctor's guidance will continue to be arrested and criminally prosecuted. Barthwell toured the state speaking to audiences reported to average about a dozen per showing, while Walters enjoyed a more visible platform when testifying Thursday at the committee hearings in Springfield. Following testimonies from both supporters and detractors of the bill, including Czar Walters, the 11-person committee voted 4-7 in favor of the bill. Two Democrats who had been expected to vote for the bill - Michelle Chavez of Cicero and - Naomi Jakobsson of Champaign - were influenced by the scurrilous testimony of Czar Walters. It appears that many newspapers in Illinois understand the truth of what has played out in their state over the past two weeks. The Chicago Sun Times and The Chicago Tribune had earlier endorsed such legislation and they were joined with OPEDs by Rep. McKeon and Montel Williams. Please consider writing a short, succinct Letter to the Editor to the newspapers linked below. Let them know your feelings about the need to end the criminal prohibition laws against responsible medical marijuana use. These links will show you the articles and opinion items we are aware of: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Larry+McKeon http://www.mapinc.org/people/Irvin+Rosenfeld http://www.mapinc.org/states/il/ (Illinois) Additional articles or opinion items on this issue may show up at the links in over the next few days. Thanks for your effort and support. It's not what others do it's what YOU do Additional suggestions for writing letters to the editor are at: Writer's Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/ PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent letter list () if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to if you are not subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list so others can learn from your efforts. Subscribing to the Sent LTE list () will help you to review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing efforts. To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form Prepared by: Stephen Heath http://www.mapinc.org/resource/maf_bio.htm =

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