Pubdate: Fri, 06 Dec 2002
Source: Waukesha Freeman (WI)
Copyright: 2002 The Waukesha Freeman
Contact: (262) 542-8259
Website: http://www.freemanol.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/770
Author: Gary Storck

JENSEN DEPRIVED PATIENTS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Regarding the indicted former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen's Nov. 28 
Freeman letter, "Jensen thankful of community," in which he stated that 
although it has been a difficult year for him in many ways, he still had a 
lot to be thankful for ...

There are a lot of Wisconsinites who are not blessed with good health like 
Jensen and his family and, for many of them, relief from suffering has been 
elusive. Some patients have found relief or at least regained a little 
quality of life through the medicinal use of marijuana, when conventional 
treatments have been ineffective, and two polls conducted in Wisconsin in 
2002 found that up to 80 percent of Wisconsinites support legalizing 
medical marijuana. A recent Time magazine poll found 80 percent of 
Americans support legalizing medical marijuana.

Still, the medical use of marijuana remains illegal. A bill introduced in 
the state Assembly in January 2002 that would have legalized medical 
marijuana died in committee because then-Speaker Scott Jensen assigned the 
bill to state Rep. Scott Suder's Criminal Justice Committee, where Suder, 
Jensen's protZgZ, dutifully followed Jensen's orders to bury the bill, 
refusing to give it a hearing.

So while the "blessed" ex-speaker says he has a lot to be thankful for, 
Wisconsin patients have been "blessed" with Jensen's idea of compassionate 
conservatism - withholding legal access to an essential medicine from sick 
and dying Wisconsinites, despite the fact an overwhelming majority of state 
residents support this option, irregardless of political affiliation.

Hopefully the state Legislature will move quickly when a new medical 
marijuana bill is introduced in January, and thankfully Jensen will not be 
in a position to exacerbate the suffering of ailing Wisconsinites by 
cynically working to deprive them of an effective treatment like cannabis.

And hopefully Jensen will be "blessed" with a huge piece of coal in his 
stocking this Christmas for the suffering he has inflicted on his fellow 
Wisconsinites.

Gary Storck

Madison
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