MEDICAL MARIJUANA HITS LEGISLATURE

Republican Representative Gregg Underheim has once again proposed
legislation to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana in the state
of Wisconsin. This year, as opposed to last year when Underheim also
introduced this bill, the Assembly Committee on Health held a public
hearing on AB 740, the Medical Marijuana Bill. On Nov. 11, 2005, the
Committee, chaired by Underheim, heard 17 people speak in favor of
the legislation and one speak against. There is strong public support
for this as well; a 2004 poll conducted by Chamberlain Research
Consultants revealed that almost 80 percent of Wisconsin residents
are in favor of medical marijuana legislation.

Now, you may be asking yourself why a Republican from Oshkosh is
introducing legislation that seems as though it could have come
straight from a Democrat from Madison, but Underheim has his reasons.
And they're good reasons at that. Underheim, a true compassionate
conservative, was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. While he was
fortunate enough to not have to go through chemotherapy, he has
spoken with patients who were not as lucky as he was.

Through dealing with a personal tragedy in his own life, Rep.
Underheim has learned that problems such as loss of appetite from
certain medications and chronic pain can be lessened with the use of
medical marijuana. Patients with HIV/AIDS or those going through
chemotherapy would not need to lose so much weight and risk
complicating factors such as a lack of nutrients from food. The side
effects of some treatments for cancer and HIV are so devastating that
some even choose to not suffer the debilitating stomach pain and
nausea and forego treatment. With medical marijuana, these symptoms
can be alleviated. Those who suffer from glaucoma and chronic pain
can ease the pressure associated with their pain and live fuller lives.

Although Rep. Underheim does genuinely feel strongly about the
benefits of medical marijuana for those who are suffering, his bill
does not go far enough to ensure help to those who need it. This bill
does not allow a doctor to prescribe medical marijuana, only
recommend it. Also, the bill merely provides a possible defense for
those who have registered and for whom marijuana has been recommended
if they get caught.

The law prohibiting manufacturing, delivering and possessing remains
intact. This begs the question, how exactly do those suffering HIV,
cancer, glaucoma, and chronic pain patients get this miracle drug
that can alleviate their pain without many harmful side effects? This
question has been left unanswered by the proposed legislation.

The compassion shown by Rep. Underheim and the good intentions of his
legislation are admirable. It has drawn large numbers of bipartisan
supporters and has the support of the people of Wisconsin. However,
in order to make a significant difference for those who live in pain
and suffer on a daily basis, medical marijuana legislation must be
taken a couple steps further.

This has been made somewhat more difficult recently. In what was yet
another hindrance to improving the quality of life for suffering
Americans, the Supreme Court decided in June to allow the prosecution
of legal users of medical marijuana in states that have official
programs. Another legislator from Wisconsin, U.S. Representative
Baldwin, has re-introduced legislation from 2001 that allows states
to define their own medical marijuana programs. The bipartisan
"State's Rights to Medical Marijuana Act" could facilitate a
compromise between the federal government and state's rights. If the
coalition that has been built and spans party lines is successful,
perhaps some positive change can be made in the lives of those who
are in need of some relief as well as hope.