Pubdate: Thu, 10 Nov 2005
Source: Philadelphia City Paper (PA)
Copyright: 2005 CP Communications, Inc.
Contact: http://www.citypaper.net/mail.shtml
Website: http://www.citypaper.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/88
Author: Gary Storck
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1729/a02.html

LEGALIZE IT

Thanks to Brian Hickey for his compassionate look at medical
marijuana, [News, Philly Blunt, "Why I Support Drug Use," Nov. 3,
2005]. As a friend of Jim and Cheryl Miller, I was there when Jim
placed Cheryl in former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr's doorway in October 1999
to protest Barr's amendment that blocked the counting of votes for a
medical marijuana initiative in Washington D.C.

One has to question our nation's values when people as desperately
ill as Cheryl was are denied access to a natural nontoxic medicine
under the threat of force. I salute Barry Busch, ACT-UP, Philadelphia
NORML and Americans for Safe Access for helping to shine a light on
how the Department of Health and Human Services continues to be part
of the problem. Since the early 1970s, when Cheryl was first diagnosed
with multiple sclerosis, federal bureaucrats have stonewalled legal
access to medical marijuana and blocked studies. Had Cheryl had legal
access from day one, she might still be with us.

Gary Storck

Madison, Wis.