Pubdate: Thu, 01 Jan 2004 Source: Racine Journal Times, The (WI) Copyright: 2004, The Racine Journal Times Contact: http://www.journaltimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1659 Author: Gary Storck Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) DEAN AND MARIJUANA Jeff Wilford's column, "Debatable: Should Democrats quit the bickering and rally behind Dean?" (Dec. 30), raises some interesting points. While virtually any Democrat except Joe Lieberman, who should be running in the GOP primary, is a vast improvement over George Bush, the way Dean has responded to questions about medical marijuana remains troubling. Rather than make the decision to end the war on the sick and dying himself, Dr. Dean proposes to have the same unelected FDA bureaucrats who have been stonewalling research and blocking marijuana's rescheduling for medical use for decades make that decision for him. And as Dean has said repeatedly, he would abide by their determination, which he expects would find it useful for AIDS and cancer sufferers, but for those with glaucoma, he expects the FDA to find the risks outweigh the benefits. The intimation here is that Dean expects glaucoma patients or people suffering from other ailments that don't meet the FDA criteria would continue to be criminalized, and that is just plain wrong. Fact is the federal government has provided 300 pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes each month to a small number of patients in a program now closed to new participants since 1992, including up to three glaucoma patients, one of whom was the late Robert Randall, who sued the government to establish the program in the late 1970's. Unfortunately Dean continues to cling to this rigid and cruel policy, which flies in the face of scientific evidence and patient testimonials, as well as the over 80 percent of the American public who support legalizing medical marijuana. Of all the Democratic contenders, only Dennis Kucinich has voiced support for medical marijuana without reservation and indicated that as president he would be willing to sign an executive order legalizing it. Gary Storck Madison - --- MAP posted-by: Josh