Pubdate: Sat, 29 Dec 2001
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2001 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Bruce Rideout

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA BILL NOT A "LOSER"

I would like to respond to the statements made by Steve Baas, Assembly
Speaker Scott Jensen's spokesman. He says the medicinal marijuana bill
is but another version of a perennial loser.

Would that be the same perennial loser as the flag burning bill that
keeps popping up? I am sure Mr. Baas and Mr. Jensen have been involved
in a number of bills that keep losing but yet they keep re-introducing
them. Yet I am sure they would not perceive them as lost causes.

Baas also characterizes medical marijuana patients as a "niche
constituency." All you patients out there, did you hear that? You are
basically a nuisance, to be cast aside as an irritation.  Baas'
complete and utter insensitivity is staggering. One can only hope that
Baas one day will suffer from an intractable disease which his doctor
will prescribe harsh narcotic drugs that leave him in a pool of his
own drool. Then maybe he will realize that because of his casual
ignorance, he is unable to access a non-narcotic, non-addictive
medicine that has absolutely no threat of accidental overdose.

Bruce Rideout, Madison
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake