We received the following press release from the Marijuana Policy Project on March 29. On April 2, ACT UP New York wrote an open letter to Vermont Governor Dean in support of the bill to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, H. 645.

"A bill to legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes -- similar to laws already on the books in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington -- passed the Vermont House of Representatives March 15. Vermont's Senate will consider the bill in April.

"The biggest obstacle to passage appears to be Vermont Governor Howard Dean. Vermont newspapers have reported that Dean, a physician, opposes the bill and is pressuring his fellow Democrats, who control the Senate, to kill it before it reaches his desk.

"Dean, who has been making strong political overtures to the gay and lesbian community in preparation for a possible run for president, is said to believe that more research is needed. But research is not the issue. Everyone wants more research, but because of government foot-dragging, progress has been slow. There is no reason that those who benefit from marijuana now -- for example, those who use it to ease the nausea often caused by antiretroviral drugs -- should have to risk arrest and jail while waiting for research to go forward."

Letters are urgently needed -- by mail or fax -- to:

Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.
109 State Street, Pavilion
Montpelier, VT 05609-0101
Fax: 802-828-3339

ISSN # 1052-4207

Copyright 2002 by John S. James. Permission granted for noncommercial reproduction, provided that our address and phone number are included if more than short quotations are used.

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This article was provided by AIDS Treatment News. It is a part of the publication AIDS Treatment News.