Pubdate: Thu, 11 Mar 2010
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2010 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Gary Storck

PUSH FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT NOW

The sponsors of the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, Rep. Mark 
Pocan and Sen. Jon Erpenbach, showed support for veterans by 
including post-traumatic stress disorder in the bill. While PTSD 
affects people from all walks of life, multiple deployments and two 
major wars have meant millions of vets have this affliction in varying degrees.

I visited the Capitol with a 26-year-old ex-Marine who served three 
tours in Iraq and now feels like he's gone from "hero to zero." The 
medications the VA provides treat his symptoms but leave him feeling 
empty and sedated. Worse, users risk side effects including organ 
damage, cancer and tremors.

We owe our veterans medical cannabis as a legal option alongside 
their conventional medicines. We cannot tell a generation of young 
vets that medications that will harm them are their only option, and 
that a life on toxic medications is a quality one.

The medical marijuana act is good for Wisconsin. Special interests 
that profit from keeping it from vets, seniors, the sick, disabled 
and dying cannot be allowed to kill it for the ninth consecutive 
legislative session. Please call your legislators at 1-800-362-9472.

- - Gary Storck, Madison, director of communications, Is My Medicine Legal YET?
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart