Pubdate: Wed, 16 Feb 2005
Source: Windy City Times (Chicago, IL)
Copyright: 2005 Windy City Media Group
Contact:  http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/windycitytimes.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3204
Cited: Illinois Nurses Association (INA) http://www.illinoisnurses.org
Cited: Marijuana Policy Project http://www.mpp.org
Referenced: The Illinois Medical Cannabis Act (HB 407) 
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=407&GAID=8&SessionID=50&LegID=14741
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Larry+McKeon (Larry McKeon)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Barthwell (Andrea Barthwell)

MCKEON READY TO DEBATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA ISSUE

Openly gay state Rep. Larry McKeon, D-Chicago, who is sponsoring a
medical marijuana bill in the Illinois General Assembly, challenged
former White House official Andrea Barthwell to a face-to-face debate.
According to a release from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP),
McKeon has charged Barthwell with spreading misinformation in her
"Illinois Marijuana Lectures."

McKeon is quoted in the statement as saying that Barthwell "regularly
claims that medical marijuana is a 'hoax' foisted upon us by some
cabal of 'legalizers' who are exploiting patients. As a person who
lives with AIDS ... I know that's false, and I am personally insulted
by this smear campaign."

McKeon and other advocates of the measure, HB 0407, also detailed
Barthwell's history of making false statements. HB0407 has been
referred to the House Human Services Committee.

According to another statement from MPP, the 6,000-member Illinois
Nurses Association (INA) has declared its support of HB 0407.

In a position paper issued in December, the INA came out in favor of
"legislation to remove criminal penalties, including arrest and
imprisonment, for [ actual ] patients and prescribers of therapeutic
cannabis [ marijuana ] ." The full statement is on the Web at
www.illinoisnurses.org .
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin