Pubdate: Mon, 03 Oct 2005 Source: Oshkosh Northwestern (WI) Copyright: 2005 Gannett Co., Inc. Contact: http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/index.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2640 Author: Gary Storck Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1544/a11.html POLITICIANS SHOULD LISTEN TO PUBLIC ON MEDICAL POT Thanks for your article about the new poll on support for medical marijuana in Wisconsin, "State ready for medicinal marijuana" (Sept. 28). These results echo the findings of a poll IMMLY commissioned in 2002, which found even higher support using different wording. According to the results of that sampling, from February 2002, support stands at more than 80 percent (www.immly.org/poll.htm). It is pertinent that state Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, pointed out scientific evidence showing that marijuana "enhances the productivity of legally prescribed pain medications, which allows the patient to be less dependent on pain-killers." Unfortunately, with medical marijuana's current illegal status under state law, many state HMOs will not provide these kinds of painkillers to patients who acknowledge using marijuana medicinally. Patients are even being subjected to urine tests, and if they test positive for cannabis, are being cut off from existing prescriptions, sometimes even being forced to quit "cold turkey." There are many patients statewide wracked with pain who are facing this cruel treatment. The Legislature has had medical marijuana bills before it for a decade now. This is not a new issue, and further delay only hurts our most vulnerable citizens. The legislature has shown it can move quickly. Underheim is correct that citizens need to make their overwhelming support known so this issue can be settled this session. Gary Storck Is My Medicine Legal Yet? Madison - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake