Pubdate: Wed, 07 Aug 2013
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2013 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://host.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Gary Storck

MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS SHOULD INCLUDE HOME CULTIVATION

Thanks for Monday's editorial, "Let them smoke pot -- for medicine."
In discussing Illinois' new law, you stated the rules that regulate
how much, when and how users can obtain medical cannabis are "about
right."

But a major flaw is the failure to include home cultivation. The
people this bill is intended to help must wait until an expensive and
complex production and distribution system is created. Allowing
patients or caregivers to grow their own plants means immediate treatment.

Home cultivation is allowed in most of the states cited in your
editorial. And judging by the experiences of other states such as New
Jersey, which claims to have the toughest law yet, it may take years
to set up dispensaries. New Jersey has only one dispensary, and the
bill was passed in 2010.

Furthermore, Illinois patients must undergo a background check with
fingerprinting just to get approval.

Wisconsin is past due on approving medical marijuana. But when it
happens, Wisconsin can strike a better balance by putting patients
first, not making them jump through hoops to satisfy the concerns of
special interests, as Illinois, New Jersey and other states have done.

- -- Gary Storck, Madison, co-founder, Is My Medicine Legal YET?
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MAP posted-by: Matt